Get ready, cinephiles, true crime fans (and thirst trap lovers):Channing Tatum is back naked, confused, soulful and covering himself with whatever he could grab. And no, this is not another Magic Mike sequel.
It's Roofman, the wildest true crime rom-com film of the year, and Tatum stars alongside the forever-iconic Kirsten Dunst, who didn't only enjoy filming the movie but also seemed to be having a blast during the publicity tour with her co-star.
I talked to the two Hollywood icons through a fun Zoom call, with Tatum confessing that he read the script of Roofman, as he often does, inside his bathtub. "I was screaming at the pages," he said with a laugh. "I read scripts in the bath. It's my thing. This one had me like, 'Oh my god, no he didn't!'"
Dunst reads hers in bed, but that's a no for him. In the tub, "at least he doesn't fall asleep like I do in bed with scripts. It happens every time."
Tickle Me Elmo, Meet Executive Producer Channing
Screaming at the screen is what I did as well while watching a screening of Roofman, which tells the tale of Jeffrey Manchester, a former United States Army Reserve non-commissioned officer, known colloquially as Roofman due to his propensity to steal from branches of McDonald's after entering their premises via the roof.
After escaping from jail, he hides inside a Toys "R" Us, the now defunct chain of toy stores. In the film, Tatum and Dunst spend a significant amount of time inside a full-blown late-'90s Toys 'R Us, complete with neon signage and a Tickle Me Elmo straight from millennial childhoods.
"I nearly cried," Dunst admitted, remembering her first day of filming inside the recreated store. "It reminded me of when my oldest was little and those toys were everything. These days? It's Amazon carts and delivery windows."
Tatum jumped in: "I used to bribe my parents in strip malls. 'If I do chores all week, can I get a Super Soaker?' I remember that feeling. You don't get that from a website."
Not everything was PG
Roofman is more than a gig for Channing, it's a passion project. He produced the film and still found himself streaking out of a bubble bath, all parts barely censored.
"There's a scene where I jump up totally naked," Tatum said, eyes twinkling. "They were supposed to frame it differently, but Derek [Cianfrance, the director] just shrugged like, 'Let's roll!'"
While it brings his fans to previous movies, it represents everything that Roofman embodies: Humor, heart and a coat of desperation.
He does admit that he thought it was going to be filmed differently, but as the professional that he is, he followed the director vision and it was a good idea, although he wonders if he jokes about it "now, maybe people are tired of seeing my butt. It's not running anymore, it's falling."
For the record, it's not.
But Wait... There's Feeling, Too
Sure, the movie's packed with weird crimes, slapstick, nostalgia whiplash, and Channing Tatum's bare behind. But it's also unexpectedly emotional and the duo knows it.
"It's a weird movie," Kirsten said. "But it sneaks up on you."
"You laugh, then suddenly you're crying," Channing added. "That's Derek's magic."
For a film based on an actual store's rooftop burglar, Roofman somehow hits all the notes, comedy, chaos, heart. You'll walk out talking about it, whether it's Elmo, the crime, or THAT Channing Tatum scene burned into your retinas.
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