We get a lot of stories based on real life people and events. Sometimes they are too wild to be believed, and yet that based on true events helps keep you grounded. That’s somewhat the case with Roofman, which is based on the wild adventures of Jeffrey Manchester.

The film picks up as Jeff (Channing Tatum) has just pulled off his latest McDonald’s robbery. We learn that he started it a few years ago as a means of giving his daughter (Alissa Marie Pearson) a better life. And while he’s committing crimes, he’s trying to be civil about it.

Still, when he’s caught, Jeff receives a harsh sentence. But, while inside, he plies his keen observation skills to the systems in the prison. He finds a way out and when free contacts his family only to find they’ve moved on. He reaches out to an old Army buddy (LaKeith Stanfield) to get a new identity, but learns he’ll have to lay low a while.

So, Jeff finds a spot to hide in the local Toys R Us. He finds a way to live in the store, observing its workers and processes. That leads him to finding Leigh (Kirsten Dunst). Moved by her philanthropy, he steals some toys and donates. That leads to a real-life connection with Leigh that Jeff can’t ignore.

Instead of laying low, Jeff begins a romance with Leigh, becoming a part of her life and family. When his chance of escape comes, can Jeff leave behind his new life.

This film is directed by Derek Cianfrance off a script he co-wrote. You can see his interest in this story. At the end, we also get a great montage of real-life interviews with people Jeff knew and interacted with. All that makes it fascinating.

So, too, do the performances. I enjoyed Tatum in the lead role and Dunst as Leigh. They have some good scenes and good chemistry. And a lot of the film wants to be a romance story between them. Therein lies some of the problem.

The film is set up to make Jeff sympathetic. You want to root for Jeff. But, in reality, what he’s doing is somewhat cruel. He’s a criminal who is on the run, and yet he’s stepping into the life of a family and making it his own. When the end finally comes, it’s hard not to reflect on that. Which gives you mixed feelings about the story.

There are moments in the film when the judge and police talk about who Jeff is and what he’s done. We get more of that in the real-life interviews. The way the film is set up it wants to make Jeff fun, but the story ultimately doesn’t support that.

I liked the film as I was watching it. I appreciated the performances, with supporting characters played by Stanfield and Peter Dinklage also being fun. But at the end, and with time to reflect, it’s hard to feel good about the way Jeff’s story is told here. Despite solid craft, that might make the viewing experience ultimately unsatisfying for some viewers.

Roofman is now playing nationwide.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.