Cast and crew of ‘Roofman’ attend New York premiere
(CBS, KYMA) - A real-life criminal's wild story is heading to the big screen as actor Channing Tatum is taking on the role of Army Veteran turned robber and prison escapee in the new movie "Roofman."
"Roofman" follows the true story of Jeffrey Manchester, a struggling Army Veteran who robs a McDonald's to provide for his family. He's sent to prison, then escapes, and is hiding out inside a Toys-R-Us when he falls in love.
"You project yourself onto someone that is gonna do something that maybe you would never, ever, ever imagine to do. Like you can't...could never dare to do," Tatum, who is also the film's executive producer, shared.
The real Jeffrey Manchester is currently serving a 45-year prison sentence in North Carolina. To learn his story, filmmakers talked to Manchester during his allotted 15-minute phone calls four times a week for four years.
"I think he was imagining he was in a movie. I think he saw his life as a movie," said Derek Cianfrance, the film's director and co-writer.
Filmmakers recreated Manchester's Toys-R-US hideout in a vacant building, bringing the store to life with toys from the early 2000s.
"People would drive up and walk inside wanting to buy stuff 'cause it was that realistic. We had to turn them away. They were confused why Channing Tatum was there," said Peter Dinklage, who also stars in the film.
The store was also an opportunity for Cianfrance to have the actors get into character before filming.
"Peter Dinklage was the manager of the toy store and I had cast Kirsten Dunst, but before she actually got the job I made Peter give her a job interview and I didn't tell Kirsten, but if he didn't want to hire her, she wasn't gonna be able to be in the movie," Cianfrance explained.
While the movie gets its name from Manchester's method of breaking-in, the team behind the film is trying to show another side of the criminal.
"He's just a really warm and loving human and, and like very, very smart. And like maybe if he made just like two different decisions or if he had one different person in his life, he would not be in there," Tatum expressed.
Dinklage adds inside this dark comedy, audiences might find a lesson in forgiveness.
"Roofman" is in theaters everywhere October 10. Paramount Skydance is the parent company of CBS News.
