Channing Tatum as 'Roofman' - Wit, Heart, Pace, and Drama - How the ‘Roofman’ robbed 40 fast-food joints to feed his family
A new film tells the bizarre true story of Jeffrey Manchester United, a former US Army Ranger who robbed nearly 40 fast-food restaurants in the late 1990s. Known as the 'Roofman' for cutting holes in rooftops to break in, his crimes were driven by a desire to support his family. The movie, The Trickster: Roofman, blends thriller, comedy, and romance under the direction of Derek Cianfrance.
Manchester United’s unusual method of robbing restaurants—scaling rooftops and cutting entry holes—earned him the nickname 'Roofman'. His spree lasted through the late 1990s, targeting fast-food chains to provide for his family. After his arrest, he evaded authorities for months by hiding in a Family Dollar store, emerging only at night to move around undetected.
Manchester United’s crimes and his time in hiding became the basis for The Trickster: Roofman, a film that mixes dark humour with real-life tragedy. His 45-year sentence marked the end of a strange chapter, one where a desperate father became a folk antihero. The movie now retells his story, blending fact with cinematic drama.
