In Roofman, Channing Tatum plays a thief who has escaped prison, and then hides out in a Toys "R" Us. It might sound too far-fetched to be a true story, but in this case, truth is perhaps stranger than fiction.
The film, which also stars Kirsten Dunst, Peter Dinklage, LaKeith Stanfield and Juno Temple, is inspired by the true story of Jeffrey Allen Manchester, a convicted bank robber who pulled off one of the most bizarre prison escapes in U.S. history and went on to hide out inside a children's toy store. While the movie takes creative liberties, at its core, it’s drawn from one of the stranger chapters in American true crime.
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Here's everything you need to know about Roofman including which parts are fact and which are fiction.
Is Jeffrey Allen Manchester a real person?
Yes. Jeffrey Allen Manchester is a real person. He was a former U.S. Army paratrooper and turned to crime in the 1990s, becoming famous for a string of robberies.
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Channing Tatum in 'Roofman'Paramount
Yes. Jeffrey Allen Manchester was best known for robbing McDonald’s restaurants. His trademark method was to climb onto the roof, break inside and wait until morning when employees arrived to open the store. Once inside, he would carry out the robbery with unusual calmness. In news reports about his robberies, he was often said to have been "kind" to the employees (as seen in the movie when he allows a worker to have his coat while being kept in the freezer).
Did Jeffrey Allen Manchester hide out in a Toys "R" Us?
Yes. After escaping from prison in 2004, Jeffrey Allen Manchester secretly lived inside a Toys “R” Us in Charlotte, North Carolina. He carved out a hidden space in the store’s walls, sneaking food, supplies, and even toys without employees noticing for months. The movie likely plays up Manchester's antics in the store at night for dramatic effect, but he did, in fact, live in the toy store for months before being caught. Manchester also used the Circuit City next door as an additional living space, though this is not mentioned in the movie.
While he was in a relationship with a woman named Leigh Wainscott (played in the movie by Dunst), she was not actually an employee of Toys "R" Us. They did meet at her church. Wainscott appears in the movie as a crossing guard and is also seen in the real-life footage played at the end of the film. Director Derek Cianfrance said that Wainscott spoke very warmly about Manchester and how her time with him was "wonderful", according to an interview with Time.
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Did Jeffrey Allen Manchester burn down the dentist office?
Yes. In order to prevent his dental records from being found, he lit a fire in a dentist's office where he had work done.
Yes. Manchester's mugshot was shown on the nightly news. Members of their church saw his photo and called the police. A detective met with Wainscott, who then set up a meeting with Manchester to catch him. He arrived at her apartment with a bouquet of flowers.
Where is Jeffrey Allen Manchester now?
Manchester continues to serve his prison sentence in Raleigh, North Carolina. His expected release date is 2036.
Related: Channing Tatum Plays a Real-Life Criminal Who Lived in a Toys 'R' Us in the Upcoming Movie 'Roofman'
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