Channing Tatum stars in Paramount Pictures ‘Roofman’.
In theaters on October 10 via Paramount Pictures is ‘Roofman’, which is inspired by the odd true story of Jeff Manchester, who got the titular nickname by breaking into McDonald’s restaurants through their roofs and created a hideout inside a Toys “R” Us store.
Channing Tatum stars in Paramount Pictures ‘Roofman’.
When you consider his past work –– doomed romance ‘Blue Valentine’ and tension-filled crime thriller ‘The Place Beyond the Pines’ –– Derek Cianfrance might not seem like the first choice for a true story that, on the face of it, could come across as goofy. And yet, in the director’s hands, it has become something warm and surprisingly sweet.
Script and Direction
(L to R) Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst star in Paramount Pictures’ ‘Roofman’.
Cianfrance wrote the script with Kirt Gunn (‘Sound of Metal’), a former advertising executive who hired the director years ago to work on a campaign.
Together, they have wrangled Jeff Manchester’s story –– albeit changing a few of the details into something that, while it doesn’t let him off the hook for his actions, does at least try to understand why he turned to robbery and burglary.
Cast and Performances
Peter Dinklage stars in Paramount Pictures’ ‘Roofman’.
Channing Tatum is the beating heart of the movie –– it utilizes the full power of his charisma but also gives him a chance to explore some deeper, darker sides.
And his chemistry with Kirsten Dunst, who plays the single mother for whom Manchester falls, makes for a romantic, sweet side to the film, even if their love story doesn’t have happiest ending.
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Juno Temple, LaKeith Stanfield and Channing Tatum star in Paramount Pictures’ ‘Roofman’.
Cianfrance infuses the story with more meaning, but doesn’t forget to keep it entertaining and heartfelt.
‘Roofman’ receives 80 out of 100.
(L to R) Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst star in Paramount Pictures’ ‘Roofman’.
What’s the story of ‘Roofman’?
Based on an unbelievable true story, ‘Roofman’ follows Jeffrey Manchester (Channing Tatum), a former Army Ranger and struggling father who turns to robbing McDonald’s restaurants by cutting holes in their roofs, earning him the nickname: Roofman.
After escaping prison, he secretly lives inside a Toys “R” Us for six months, surviving undetected while planning his next move. But when he falls for Leigh (Kirsten Dunst), a divorced mom drawn to his undeniable charm, his double life begins to unravel, setting off a compelling and suspenseful game of cat and mouse as his past closes in.
Who is in the cast of ‘Roofman’?
Channing Tatum as Jeffrey Manchester
Kirsten Dunst as Leigh Wainscott
Ben Mendelsohn as Ron Smith
Peter Dinklage as Mitch
Uzo Aduba as Eileen
Juno Temple as Michelle
Emory Cohen as Otis
LaKeith Stanfield as Steve
Theatrical one-sheet for Paramount Pictures’ ‘Roofman’.
On Netflix on September 6th, ‘Rebel Ridge’ is the latest thriller from writer/director Jeremy Saulnier and focuses on a man with a particular set of skills who takes on some dangerous people with a righteous cause.
It’s a genre that has been tackled before, but Saulnier brings his own spin to it, with crackling dialogue and a superb central performance from ‘The Underground Railroad’s Aaron Pierre, backed by sterling support from Don Johnson.
If you’re a fan of Saulnier’s previous work such as ‘Green Room’ and ‘Blue Ruin,’ you might be surprised that ‘Rebel Ridge’ actually dials down the violence and intensity (but only by a certain degree) yet it still absolutely works on its own terms.
In tackling the sort of territory seen in ‘Walking Tall’ and even ‘Taken’, Saulnier finds a way to do it with smarts and some memorable dialogue, while employing his leading man in a role that should surely have other directors (and even a comic book franchise or two) calling.
Saulnier knows how to make compelling movies that –– especially in the case of ‘Green Room’ –– also have you watching through your fingers at times. ‘Rebel Ridge’ doesn’t aspire to that, but it has its own charms. In his script for the new project, he’s crafted some truly superb conversations, but also doesn’t skimp when it comes time for things to throw down.
You’ll get plenty of pleasure just hearing the talented cast chew through the dialogue, military acronyms and all. It’s what keeps ‘Rebel Ridge’ above the quality level of straight-to-home entertainment movie that loves to exploit this genre.
Directorially, Saulnier brings his usual realistic style, eschewing too much showiness, but still keeping visual interest with the lush/grungy Louisiana backdrop (standing in for small towns where the sort of corruption found in the film is rife). And he’s certainly found a way to bring out the best in the entire cast, not just Pierre and Johnson.
Performances
While Aaron Pierre, Don Johnson and AnnaSophia Robb take the lion’s share of the credit here, the cast is filled with character types giving their all.
Pierre has offered some great performances already in his fledgling career, and it’s not hard to see why directors such as Barry Jenkins are looking to work with him on multiple occasions. And Terry Richmond might be among his best, a human hard man who prefers to use his words but has no problem letting his actions speak for him when he’s pushed to it.
Richmond is a buttoned-down character by nature (a Marine with some clearly morally gray background), but he makes him come alive in a way that is entirely believable. And when it’s time to throw down, Pierre –– and the stunt team –– is more than up to the task.
A tough-talking, oft-spitting police chief whose down-home charisma hides racist attitudes and criminal behavior, Johnson’s Chief Burnne could have been a complete cliché. But in Saulnier and the actor’s hands, he’s so much more than that, and scenes where Johnson and Pierre go toe-to-toe verbally are always great.
In other hands, Summer could have been a throwaway, underwritten female sidekick/victim role. But while she sometimes flirts with those labels, Saulnier has added plenty of depth to the character, who has her own tough background and issues that she must overcome to aid in Richmond’s mission.
She’s far from a random screaming love interest (the pair shares a strictly platonic relationship) and is a fully rounded character.
Cromwell’s role is smaller by design, but he’s still a memorable part of the movie. Playing the town’s judge who is involved in some of its dodgier dealings, the actor brings depth and tragedy to the role, and even though he only has a couple of scenes, he makes a mark.
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Supporting cast
The ensemble is filled with people who know how to do a lot with smaller character roles, such as Steve Zissis and David Denman (as a down-at-heel court clerk and a local cop who has more integrity than it might initially appear), and Saulnier has chosen wisely for pretty much every part. Emory Cohen is great as one of his colleagues, who deploys casual racism, while Daniel Chung, Dana Lee and Zsane Jhe all get their moments in the cinematic sun.
This represents a shift in gear from Saulnier, but it’s also up there with some of his best films. It might at first appear like the sort of movie you’ve seen before, but ‘Rebel Ridge’ is certainly more memorable than a hundred pumped-out thrillers.
With its fascinating protagonist and its excellent cadre of realistic villains, ‘Rebel Ridge’ is more than worth your time.
‘Rebel Ridge’ receives 8 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘Rebel Ridge’?
In the town of Shelby Springs, Terry Richmond (Aaron Pierre) has come to post bail for his cousin, but his savings are unjustly seized by a corrupt local police force led by Chief Sandy Burnne (Don Johnson). With the help of court clerk Summer McBride (AnnaSophia Robb), Terry unearths a widespread conspiracy within Shelby Springs and uses his set of “skills” to get the bail money back by any means necessary.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with legendary actor Don Johnson about his work on ‘Rebel Ridge’, his first reaction to the screenplay, his character, playing the villain, working with actor Aaron Pierre and collaborating on the set with director Jeremy Saulnier.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Johnson, Aaron Pierre and AnnaSophia Robb.
Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction to reading the screenplay and why did you want to be a part of this project?
Don Johnson: My first reaction was that I had the opportunity to work with the great Jeremy Saulnier, and then when I read the material. I was at once excited and a touch trepidatious, only because I wanted to make sure that the first part of the movie didn’t become what the movie was about, an old familiar trope. I was so pleasantly pleased to see that it was not that, but it was a very clever way of using something where you think you know, and then suddenly, something starts, and you don’t know. But now you’re learning and now you’re wrapped up in it and now you’re rolling, and you’re into this world where you go, “Wow, this is in America?” So, I was thrilled with that. I was just thrilled with the opportunity to get to play that part and to work with Jeremy.
MF: How would you describe your character in your own words and is it fun playing a villain?
DJ: Would you say Robin Hood was a villain? I don’t know. All my characters are good guys. He’s a no-nonsense guy, Sheriff Sandy Burnne, and he’s been given a responsibility, and he’s managing that responsibility the only way he knows how.
MF: Can you talk about the conflict between Chief Burnne and Terry Richmond and what it was like working with actor Aaron Pierre?
DJ: Well, in the Sheriff’s mind, there was no conflict. This is just business as usual. It only becomes a conflict when this very mysterious big guy (arrives). He’s 6’4″ and ripped. If I was to tell the truth, he might be able to kick my ass if I couldn’t find something to hit him with. I loved working with Aaron because he’s a wonderful actor, wonderful actor, and we have similar sensibilities about how we approach our work. It was very easy for Jeremy and Aaron and I to find a tone that we wanted and to commit to it. It’s a hell of a commitment because if you miss, you miss badly. But if you hit it, you get ‘Rebel Ridge’.
MF: Finally, what was it like collaborating on the set with director Jeremy Saulnier?
DJ: You’re asking a mixed bag of emotions. We’re not going to go on a cruise together, but we worked together very well as director and actor. But when you’re in a collaborative relationship with somebody, and I love Jeremy, and I think he’d say the same thing about me, you lock horns and you argue and battle about stuff, and that’s when you know somebody is invested in the stuff. You don’t want a director who’s going to just yes you to death. You want somebody to say, “I don’t know that I see it that way. Let’s talk about that.” And we did. Unlike a lot of conversations with directors, I think we found the right tone together throughout.
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What is the plot of ‘Rebel Ridge’?
In the town of Shelby Springs, Terry Richmond (Aaron Pierre) has come to post bail for his cousin, but his savings are unjustly seized by a corrupt local police force led by Chief Sandy Burnne (Don Johnson). With the help of court clerk Summer McBride (AnnaSophia Robb), Terry unearths a widespread conspiracy within Shelby Springs and uses his set of “skills” to get the bail money back by any means necessary.
The movie stars Academy Award nominee Andy Garcia (‘The Godfather Part III’) as the eccentric Floyd Deveraux, who is involved in a car accident with fledgling writer Samuel Liston (Emory Cohen). Floyd soon takes Samuel under his wing as his biographer, and introduces him to his wife and children, before his deepest secrets are revealed.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking to Andy Garcia about his work on ‘Big Gold Brick,’ as well as his thoughts on Frances Ford Coppola’s recently released director’s cut of ‘The Godfather Part III.’
The iconic actor discussed his new film, his unusual character, working with Oscar Isaac, the difference between performing in a comedy or a drama, and his reaction to ‘Mario Puzo’s The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone.’
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You can read the full transcript of our interview with Andy Garcia about ‘Big Gold Brick’ below, or watch our interviews with Garcia, Lucy Hale, Emory Cohen and writer/director Brian Petsos by clicking on the video player above.
Moviefone: To begin with, how would you describe this movie to our audience?
Andy Garcia: It’s a very unique movie and encompasses many different genres, twists and turns in a way that’s unique to Brian (Petsos), the writer and director. This is his absurdity and sense of humor. What I can tell you, is that I play a gentleman who has an encounter, an accident with someone on the street, and hits him with his car. That relationship happens because of that, what ensues after that, as I begin to try to take him to heal and I bring him home to my house to get him well, because I feel responsible.
But that relationship quickly turns into other needs that I have, I would say. In that process, the relationship begins to formulate and take different turns. It’s very hard to explain the nature of what it is because immediately you’ll start anticipating things that, certainly, I don’t want you to anticipate.
MF: I thought Floyd was a perfect role for you as an actor. Did you recognize that when you first read the screenplay, and what was your approach to playing this character?
AG: Thank you. I mean, I’d recognize something because, obviously, I got all the way through the script and said, “What the hell did I just read?” I called Oscar Isaac, who had sent it to me, who was a producer on it and was going to play a part in it. He had worked with Brian Petsos on several shorts they did together.
So, I was aware of their relationship and the shorts. I said, “Oscar, this is really a bizarre script, and I’m trying to figure out what it’s all about and who this guy is.” I think, we started talking and I said, “Is it this? Is it that?” He would say something like, “Oh, I don’t know. I don’t know how you see that, but maybe.” Then finally I said something like, “I think it’s like that.” He said, “Yeah, that’s it.” I went, “Oh, okay. I’ll do it.”
Oscar Isaac in ‘Big Gold Brick.’
MF: You have a wonderful scene in the movie with Oscar Isaac, what was it like acting opposite him?
AG: Well, we’ve worked together before. We did a movie a while back ago called, ‘For Greater Glory: The True Story of Cristiada.’ Listen, Oscar’s an actor I admire, tremendously. He’s A wonderful actor. We’ve only had wonderful times working together in the past. We had a desire to work together and to work together, yet again. So, whenever I’m with him, we have a good time, and it was a joy. His character is so inspired, and the juxtaposition of putting Floyd in this man’s world there and how Floyd deals with it, also gives insight into how comfortable Floyd is in the most unique and dangerous situations.
MF: Can you talk about working with Emory Cohen on Floyd and Samuel’s unusual relationship?
AG: Well, Emery was great. He came on the first scene we did, where already I could tell that he was locked into a very specific character that he was committed to, and a state of mind and a state of angst. Also, the physical choices with the hair and all that. My job is to support that idea and engage in that idea, and have Floyd have to deal with it. I said, “Okay, I got this guy I just hit with a car,” and then he brings him home and then he goes, “Oh, you’re a writer.” Then the movie begins. Anyway, it’s a movie that encompasses so many different genres.
(L to R) Andy Garcia and Emory Cohen in ‘Big Gold Brick.’
MF: As an actor, is there a difference for you between doing comedy and drama?
AG: Well, I mean, it’s an art form. The sense of comedy and understanding how it works, and the timing of it all, and the choices you can make, depending on the tone of the comedy, have many different styles. But they always have to, I feel, be rooted in a real sense of truth, which it makes it even more poignant when you laugh. So, with Brian, that came from Second City and an improv background. I studied with a lot of people earlier out in my career and did a lot of improvisational theater.
So, we had a nice way of language, that if I would say, “Let me try something” and then I would just do it. Then, he would engage and laugh, and that’s part of the creative process, I think, it’s important, whether it’s a comedy or drama. Because you just want to take all the raw material you can to the cutting room and let the movie then tell you, even if the director goes, “I want it to be this.” The movie over here is going, “No, no, no, no. You got to go over here, because that’s the take you should use.” Then you go, “Yeah. Okay.”
MF: Finally, I was curious if you’ve had an opportunity to see ‘Mario Puzo’s The Godfather, Coda: The Death of Michael Corleone,’ which is Frances Ford Coppola’s director’s cut of ‘The Godfather Part III’ that was recently released. What were your thoughts on his new version of the film?
AG: I thought it was beautiful. I loved the movie the first time. I love it again the second time. I was aware of the sort of narrative structures and choices he made, to take out and restructure, which I thought was great. To me, that was a great privilege, obviously, to be a part of that world and to share that time with Francis.
So, like I said, I really enjoyed it, but more importantly to me, if this is what Francis wants to do, and that’s what he perceives, he’s the man. So, I want him to be happy and content. You know what I mean? And finish the ideas that he originally wanted to do. That’s what’s most important thing as a filmmaker, to leave that legacy the way he wanted to leave it.
Because he explained a lot, why the first version came out and sense of time and all that stuff. So, I think it’s great. There’s the 50th anniversary of ‘The Godfather’ happening this week at Paramount. They’re naming a street after Francis. Unfortunately, I’m leaving town and I’m going to miss it, but I’ll be there in spirit, for sure. He’s a very special man and a very special director.
Director Frances Ford Coppola at the 50th Anniversary of ‘The Godfather’ event and historic street naming ceremony at the Paramount Theater in Hollywood, CA on February 22nd, 2022. Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Paramount Pictures.
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