REVIEW: Roofman (2025 Film) - Starring Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst, LaKeith Stanfield, Juno Temple and Peter Dinklage

Review by Jon Donnis

"Roofman" is one of those stories that almost sounds too bizarre to be true. Directed by Derek Cianfrance, it tells the tale of Jeffrey Manchester, an ex-soldier turned roof-climbing burglar who once hid inside a Toys "R" Us for half a year without anyone noticing. On paper, it sounds like a madcap heist comedy, but what unfolds on screen is far more complex, sitting somewhere between tragedy, absurdity and a strangely touching love story.

Channing Tatum gives one of his most grounded performances to date as Manchester, a man whose crimes seem less driven by greed than by desperation and loneliness. Cianfrance, known for intimate dramas like Blue Valentine and The Place Beyond the Pines, brings that same raw emotional style here. His camera lingers on quiet, mundane details, making even the sight of Tatum brushing his teeth in a toy store feel oddly human. It's funny, yes, but never cartoonish.

The film's strongest stretch comes during the Toys "R" Us sequence. Manchester's life among dolls, bicycles and baby monitors becomes a sort of twisted domestic fantasy, half survival story, half suburban dream. His relationship with Leigh, played by Kirsten Dunst, is handled with tenderness. She brings warmth to what could have been a throwaway role, grounding the film's stranger moments in something recognisably real. When the romance blossoms, it's oddly sweet, even though the audience knows it's built on lies.

There's also excellent support from LaKeith Stanfield as Steve, Manchester's pragmatic old army mate, and Peter Dinklage as the weary store manager Mitch. Dinklage, in particular, adds a dry sense of humour that cuts through the film's more sentimental edges.

The problem is that once Manchester's life outside the store takes over, the story begins to sag. The pace slows, the tone darkens, and the tension that once made the film so compelling slips away. The final act feels heavier, more procedural, and less inspired than the early scenes. Cianfrance's interest in emotional fallout overtakes the playfulness that made the premise so unique.

And despite the film being sold as a crime comedy, the laughs are rare. It's more melancholy than madcap, often reflecting on isolation, regret and the longing to belong. That's not a flaw so much as a mismatch of tone between marketing and reality, but some viewers might be caught off guard.

Still, "Roofman" is an engaging, original take on the true-crime genre. It's stylish, well-acted, and deeply human. Tatum's performance captures both the absurdity and sadness of a man trying to rebuild his life inside a toy shop, while Dunst provides the heart that keeps it from collapsing under its own weirdness.

It loses some magic once the fluorescent lights of the store fade, but as a character study, it lingers. "Roofman" may not be the laugh-out-loud caper its trailers promise, yet it offers something better: a bittersweet glimpse at a man trapped between redemption and self-destruction.

A flawed but fascinating piece of storytelling. I'd give Roofman a solid 7 out of 10.

Out now on Digital

Apple TV - https://apple.co/49j0ITw

REVIEW: The Thursday Murder Club (2025 FIlm) - Starring Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie

Review by Jon Donnis

Chris Columbus's The Thursday Murder Club, adapted from Richard Osman's 2020 novel, leans hard into the comforting pleasures of the cosy mystery. On that front it mostly delivers. The film's greatest strength is its cast. Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie are a delight together, their chemistry turning a tidy, familiar premise into something genuinely warm and often very funny. They carry the film with a kind of effortless authority, making the club's weekly meet-ups feel lived in and alive. Naomi Ackie, Richard E. Grant and Jonathan Pryce provide solid support, so the ensemble never runs thin.

Acting, in fact, is the thing the movie never lets you down on. The leads bring nuance to roles that could so easily have been played as caricature. Mirren's Elizabeth has a dry, brisk wit. Brosnan's Ron is both charming and stubborn. Kingsley and Imrie add restraint and a human softness that balance the performances. The supporting cast add flavour without stealing scenes, and the camerawork and soundtrack are consistently tasteful. There are moments of neat visual framing and a score that steers the emotion without ever getting in the way.

Where the film falters is where it chooses comfort over surprise. The plot follows the Thursday Murder Club as they turn their hobby of solving cold cases into a real investigation after a death occurs on their doorstep. The setup is enjoyable, the reveals are neat, but the screenplay rarely takes risks. It is, as the notes put it, quite formulaic at times. The structure leans on familiar beats from the genre, and the mysteries resolve with a certain neatness that undercuts the potential for darker, stranger turns. If you come for thrills you will find polite twists rather than shocks.

Pacing is another issue. At nearly two hours the film does sag in places. There are stretches that feel indulgent in their coziness, as if the movie expects you to make a cup of tea and return without missing much. That same cosy quality is also its selling point, so this complaint is conditional: if you want comfort and steady humour, it plays to that strength; if you want urgency and edge, it will frustrate. In short, it does not push the genre forward. It keeps it safe, and that safety will please some viewers and bore others.

Still, the movie hits many of the highs that fans of the cosy murder mystery expect. The balance of warmth and wit is well judged, and the film's camera work and soundtrack lift scenes. There are effective set pieces, and the interplay between the retirees and the younger police officers gives the story a pleasant generational counterpoint. 

If the film has an overall character it is amiable restraint. It is a high-quality, comfortable watch with dependable performances and clean production values. But it is also cautious, choosing the familiar route instead of striking out for something riskier or more ambitious. For viewers who just want a well acted, gently amusing whodunit to watch with family, it will feel like a gift. For viewers after daring plotting or real suspense, it will feel like a missed opportunity.

The Thursday Murder Club is charming, polished and reliably pleasant, but it does not aspire beyond being cosy entertainment. If that sounds like your kind of film, you will be well served. 6 out of 10.

Out Now on Netflix

PREVIEW: DON Q (2025 FIlm) - Armand Assante Leads Mafia Comedy with a Twist

Preview by Jon Donnis

Armand Assante, the Emmy®-winning actor celebrated for roles in Gotti, American Gangster and The Odyssey, returns to the screen in Don Q, an award-winning crime comedy arriving on UK digital 15 September from Reel2Reel Films. Directed by Claudio Bellante, the film takes the legendary story of Don Quixote and reimagines it through the eyes of a man lost in mafia fantasies.

Assante stars as Al Quinto, a long-time resident of Little Italy who has fed off decades of delusion. In his mind he is no longer just Al but Don Q, a powerful mob boss destined to restore his neighbourhood to its former glory. With a mix of charm, bravado and madness, he sets out on a self-styled crusade, accompanied by imaginary criminal allies only he can see.

His sister Antonia, played by Saundra Santiago (Miami Vice, The Guiding Light), grows increasingly worried about his fragile grip on reality. Her concerns prove valid when the line between imagination and truth blurs. The return of ruthless ex-con Rocco, played by Chuck Zito (Carlito's Way, Oz), pulls Al into a turf war that transforms his delusions into something deadly real.

The supporting cast is packed with mob-movie pedigree. Federico Castelluccio (The Sopranos, El Cantante) and Vincent Pastore (The Sopranos, Revolver) bring grit and authenticity, while the clash of loyalty, betrayal and ambition drives the story into darker territory. As Al finds himself surrounded by enemies, tested by a new protégé and threatened from within his own circle, he faces the ultimate question. Will he crack under the weight of his fantasy, or finally become the Don he always believed himself to be?

With its mix of humour, violence and heartfelt drama, Don Q plays as both a love letter to classic mafia cinema and a clever twist on a literary legend. Assante's commanding performance anchors a film that balances nostalgia with fresh energy, offering a crime tale as funny as it is dangerous.

Don Q arrives on UK digital 15 September from Reel2Reel Films.