Roofman (2025) unravels the shocking yet fascinating true story of a U.S. Army veteran whose life took a dark and daring turn after returning home from service. Premiering to critical buzz at the London Film Festival and officially released in U.S. theaters on October 15, 2025, the film blends gripping realism with cinematic flair. Director David Mackenzie crafts a tense, character-driven thriller that balances crime, psychology, and redemption in equal measure. At the heart of the film is Channing Tatum, delivering one of the most intense performances of his career. He plays a war-hardened veteran who channels his military training into a string of ingenious heists, breaking into over 40 McDonald’s through their roofs — earning the infamous nickname Roofman. What starts as a survival act spirals into obsession, pushing him to the edge of morality and madness. With high-stakes action sequences, haunting music, and a gripping emotional core, Roofman challenges the idea of heroism in a society that forgets its soldiers.
Overview
Roofman follows the extraordinary journey of a decorated U.S. Army veteran who, after struggling to adapt to civilian life, turns his military expertise toward an unexpected path — a life of high-stakes crime. Using stealth, precision, and strategy learned from his years of service, he begins a series of daring robberies, breaking into over 40 McDonald’s restaurants through their rooftops. The film captures the methodical brilliance behind his heists while exploring the emotional toll of isolation, post-war trauma, and the desperate search for purpose.
Set against a gritty urban backdrop, the story dives deep into the duality of a man torn between heroism and criminality. With intense cinematography, layered storytelling, and a pulsating score, Roofman paints a portrait of a conflicted soul trying to reclaim control in a world that has left him behind. It’s a gripping tale of resilience, ingenuity, and the haunting consequences of choices made on the edge.
Cast and Crew
Director: David Mackenzie
The visionary director David Mackenzie, known for acclaimed films like Hell or High Water and Outlaw King, brings his signature blend of realism and emotional depth to Roofman. With a keen eye for character-driven storytelling, Mackenzie crafts a tense yet human narrative that explores the mental and moral breakdown of a once-decorated soldier. His direction ensures that every heist feels grounded in authenticity, every moment of silence brims with unease, and every emotional beat hits hard. Mackenzie’s cinematic tone captures both the chaos of the criminal world and the haunting quiet of a man lost within his own mind.
Lead Actor: Channing Tatum
Channing Tatum delivers one of the most transformative performances of his career as the titular “Roofman.” Shedding his charming on-screen persona, Tatum embodies a veteran struggling to find purpose in a world that no longer values his discipline or sacrifice. His portrayal combines physical intensity with emotional vulnerability, allowing audiences to feel both sympathy and tension throughout his descent into crime. Tatum’s meticulous attention to character details — from his hardened military demeanor to his quiet desperation — anchors the film’s emotional weight and psychological complexity.
Lead Actress: Riley Keough
Riley Keough portrays the estranged wife of the Roofman, a woman torn between love, fear, and disbelief as she watches the man she once knew spiral into moral darkness. Keough’s performance adds the emotional spine to the narrative, providing a grounded counterbalance to the film’s chaos. Through her eyes, the story reflects the pain of families left behind by war, the burden of loyalty, and the heartbreak of losing someone to their own choices. Her subtle expressions and emotionally layered performance give the film its tender yet tragic undertone.
Supporting Cast
The supporting ensemble features Jon Bernthal as a persistent FBI agent determined to catch Roofman, Jeffrey Wright as a retired officer who becomes a reluctant mentor, and Lucas Hedges as a young accomplice drawn into the heists. Each actor contributes depth and realism, elevating the story’s tension and moral complexity. Their performances highlight the blurred lines between justice and survival, and between villainy and heroism.
Music Composer: Nicholas Britell
The haunting and atmospheric score is composed by Nicholas Britell, whose music adds emotional gravity and suspense to the film’s intense rhythm. His minimalist piano motifs and layered orchestration perfectly capture the dual nature of the protagonist — calm precision amid inner chaos. The soundtrack builds tension during heists and evokes melancholy in quieter, reflective moments, making it an integral part of the storytelling.
Production Company: A24, Plan B Entertainment
Produced by A24 in collaboration with Plan B Entertainment, Roofman benefits from two studios renowned for bold, character-driven films. A24’s artistic vision and Plan B’s storytelling depth combine to create a film that’s both visually arresting and emotionally immersive. Together, they ensure that Roofman transcends the crime genre, delivering a cinematic experience rooted in authenticity and human emotion.
Run Time: 2Hrs 6mins
Roofman runs for 2 hours and 6 minutes (2:06), balancing heart-pounding tension with reflective, emotional storytelling. The pacing allows audiences to fully immerse themselves in the journey of a man haunted by his past and driven by desperation, making every minute of the film purposeful and gripping.
Budget & Box Office Collection
Roofman was produced on a budget of approximately $85 million, reflecting its high production value, intense action sequences, and meticulous attention to realism. A significant portion of the budget was dedicated to recreating the authentic heist settings, military flashbacks, and practical rooftop break-in stunts that defined the film’s gritty aesthetic. The filmmakers also invested heavily in on-location shoots across the U.S. Midwest and urban landscapes to enhance the story’s realism. With A24 and Plan B Entertainment at the helm, the film maintained a fine balance between indie-style intimacy and blockbuster-scale execution.
Upon its U.S. theatrical release, Roofman opened to strong audience interest and critical acclaim, earning an impressive $46 million during its opening weekend. The film’s gripping storyline, Channing Tatum’s commanding performance, and word-of-mouth buzz helped it sustain momentum in global markets, eventually crossing $320 million worldwide. Its success not only marked one of Tatum’s biggest career hits but also cemented Roofman as one of 2025’s most talked-about crime thrillers, both commercially and critically.
Story
Roofman begins with the story of Jack Milner (Channing Tatum), a decorated U.S. Army veteran who returns home after years of service overseas. Struggling with post-war trauma and unable to reintegrate into civilian life, Jack faces unemployment, debt, and an overwhelming sense of purposelessness. His wife Laura (Riley Keough) tries to hold their family together, but Jack’s silence and emotional distance create a rift between them. The film paints a powerful picture of a soldier left behind by the very system he once served — a man whose skills no longer fit into the world he fought to protect. As his frustration deepens, he begins observing the routines of local McDonald’s franchises, recognizing weaknesses in their structures that most would never notice.
Driven by desperation and an instinct for strategy, Jack meticulously plans a series of robberies using his military precision. He studies blueprints, tracks employee schedules, and identifies roof access points — breaking into the restaurants from above, completely avoiding alarms and surveillance. Each heist becomes a mission, executed with discipline and control, as if he were back in enemy territory. Jack’s methods earn him the nickname “Roofman” in the media, turning his quiet war against society into a national mystery. However, what begins as a way to survive soon transforms into something far more dangerous — an obsession that gives him a twisted sense of purpose and power.
As the robberies grow in scale, Jack crosses paths with Agent Cole Burns (Jon Bernthal), a relentless FBI investigator who begins to piece together the pattern behind the crimes. Their cat-and-mouse dynamic forms the film’s tense backbone — a battle not just of intellect and instinct, but of morality and ideology. Through parallel storytelling, we see glimpses of Jack’s military past, revealing the moral injuries and psychological scars that drive his behavior. He doesn’t rob out of greed; he does it to feel alive, to prove he still has control in a world that rendered him powerless. These emotional undercurrents give depth to the heists, transforming them from mere crimes into manifestations of trauma and rebellion.
The story reaches its climax when Jack’s personal life and his criminal life violently collide. His wife discovers the truth, forcing him to confront the wreckage of his choices. Surrounded by law enforcement and haunted by the ghosts of his past, Jack faces one final decision — to fight, surrender, or find redemption on his own terms. Roofman concludes not with spectacle, but with silence — the echo of a man who climbed through rooftops not to steal, but to escape. The film’s narrative becomes a haunting exploration of how war follows soldiers home, how society measures worth, and how desperation can turn heroes into outlaws when the world stops listening.
Review
Roofman stands out as one of the most emotionally gripping and psychologically layered crime dramas of 2025. Director David Mackenzie takes a grounded, unflinching approach to storytelling — avoiding exaggerated Hollywood spectacle in favor of realism and character depth. Every scene feels lived-in, from the haunting quiet of Jack Milner’s home to the tense precision of each rooftop break-in. Mackenzie’s direction captures both the physical and emotional claustrophobia of a man trapped by his own memories. The pacing is deliberate yet captivating, allowing the audience to sink into Jack’s world — a world defined by silence, strategy, and suppressed pain.
Channing Tatum delivers what could easily be considered the best performance of his career. He strips away the charm and confidence he’s known for and replaces it with vulnerability, restraint, and haunting authenticity. His portrayal of Jack Milner is both chilling and deeply human — a man capable of precision and violence but also lost in guilt and loneliness. Tatum’s subtle expressions and body language tell a story beyond words, allowing viewers to feel his internal collapse long before he speaks it aloud. His transformation from soldier to criminal isn’t just physical — it’s emotional and existential, making his journey all the more tragic and compelling.
Riley Keough adds emotional gravity to the film as Laura Milner, grounding the chaos with a quiet, aching presence. Her performance gives the film a deeply personal dimension, representing the families who suffer silently in the wake of trauma. The chemistry between Keough and Tatum feels raw and painfully authentic, their fractured relationship mirroring the moral decay at the center of the story. Supporting performances by Jon Bernthal as the determined FBI agent and Jeffrey Wright as a retired officer add sharp intensity and moral complexity, giving the narrative more depth and tension with every encounter.
From a technical standpoint, Roofman is masterfully crafted. The cinematography by Giles Nuttgens captures the contrasting worlds of war flashbacks and dimly lit heist sequences with striking precision. Every rooftop infiltration feels both cinematic and grounded, the camera movements mirroring Jack’s tactical mindset. The sound design plays a vital role — quiet scenes are layered with subtle ambient tones that heighten unease, while the heist moments use silence as suspense. Nicholas Britell’s score ties it all together with a haunting, minimalist composition that underscores Jack’s isolation and moral descent.
What makes Roofman resonate most is its refusal to glamorize crime. Instead, it becomes a psychological portrait of a man broken by the system he once served. The narrative doesn’t rush to justify Jack’s actions but rather invites viewers to question the fine line between survival and self-destruction. Mackenzie’s storytelling reveals that the real theft isn’t of money — it’s of identity, purpose, and belonging. Through its raw performances, taut direction, and emotional precision, Roofman emerges as a deeply human story disguised as a crime thriller — one that lingers in the mind long after the final scene fades to black.
Beneath the Roof — Secrets, Strengths & Shadows of Roofman
Behind the scenes, Roofman was as intense to make as it was to watch. Channing Tatum reportedly underwent months of military-style training to master the precision and physicality of the heist sequences, even performing several of his own rooftop stunts. Director David Mackenzie insisted on practical effects and real rooftop sets instead of green screens to capture authenticity — resulting in a grueling shoot across 12 cities. The crew constructed life-sized McDonald’s replicas with functional interiors for each heist scene, allowing Tatum to move freely through every frame. Riley Keough described filming emotional scenes as “draining but real,” as Mackenzie often rolled continuous takes to preserve raw emotion. The film’s tone was so immersive that Tatum admitted he stayed in character between takes to maintain Jack Milner’s haunted mindset.
Among the film’s pros, critics praised its gritty realism, emotional storytelling, Tatum’s powerhouse performance, and Britell’s haunting score. The attention to military accuracy and the decision to shoot at real locations gave it a visceral, documentary-like feel. However, some found the pacing slow and the heavy emotional tone overwhelming for casual viewers — the cons that divide audiences between admiration and fatigue. An interesting fact: the “roof entry” methods shown in the film were so detailed that law enforcement consultants had to modify them for safety reasons before release. Another hidden gem — the real-life “Roofman,” on whom the film is based, served as an anonymous advisor during early script development, adding chilling authenticity to this cinematic descent into desperation.
Conclusion
Roofman is a gripping exploration of the human psyche, blending high-stakes crime with a deeply emotional journey. Through Channing Tatum’s transformative performance, David Mackenzie’s meticulous direction, and Nicholas Britell’s haunting score, the film captures the delicate balance between desperation, ingenuity, and morality. Every rooftop heist, every silent glance, and every tense moment contributes to a story that is as thrilling as it is introspective, leaving audiences both entertained and contemplative.
Beyond its action and suspense, the film resonates because of its portrayal of real-world struggles faced by veterans and the psychological scars they carry. By examining the consequences of isolation, trauma, and unheeded talent, Roofman becomes more than a crime thriller — it is a study of survival, identity, and the human need for purpose. The movie lingers in the mind, urging viewers to reflect on the fine line between heroism and desperation, and the choices that define a life.