Saagar Kote
‘Roofman’ centers on Jeffrey Manchester (Channing Tatum), a robber and former US military officer. Dubbed the “Roofman” for his technique of breaking into locations, particularly McDonald’s, by drilling and damaging the roofs, Jeffrey executes a daring prison escape. To evade law enforcement, he takes refuge in a Toys “R” Us store. What begins as a story of escape, robberies, and a manhunt transforms into an endearing tale of romance and human connection as Jeffrey develops feelings for Leigh Wainscott (Kirsten Dunst), an employee at the store where he is hiding.
The crime comedy-drama film, directed by Derek Cianfrance, skillfully blends adrenaline-fueled action sequences with a deeper exploration of the characters’ humanity. The themes of meaning, love, and loyalty are explored in the narrative, combined with exciting visuals. These movies, similar to ‘Roofman,’ will be worthy of your time as they contain the charm, complexity, visual elements, and flavour of the Channing Tatum starrer.
10. Lords of Dogtown (2005)
‘Lords of Dogtown’ is a biographical drama set in 1970s Venice, California. It follows a fictionalized perspective on the lives of Tony Alva (Victor Rasuk), Stacy Peralta (John Robinson), and Jay Adams (Emile Hirsch), collectively dubbed the “Z-Boys.” The group of young and talented skateboarders from the streets of Dogtown, Santa Monica, creates a revolution in the sport by innovatively skating in empty suburban swimming pools.
Directed by Catherine Hardwicke, the film explores their struggles with fame, rivalry, personal growth, and the impact of commercialization on the sport. As the group achieves greater heights in the risky sport, the members deal with their own challenges that may be detrimental to their brotherhood. Like ‘Roofman,’ it is inspired by a true story and contains the growth story of characters with unique talents. Personal relationships test the professional lives of the characters in the narratives.
9. A Simple Favor (2018)
‘A Simple Favor,’ based on Darcey Bell’s novel of the same name, centers on the complicated relationship between two mothers, Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) and Emily Nelson (Blake Lively). Their connection begins at their children’s school, with Stephanie representing the middle class and Emily married to a wealthy and powerful man. What starts as a casual friendship turns into a complex web of secrets, death, and deceit, upending their lives. When Emily suddenly vanishes, Stephanie uncovers a deeper, more elaborate set of mysteries that puts her own life at risk. Directed by Paul Feig, the mystery drama film explores themes of secrecy and lies like ‘Roofman.’ Both films explore survival and the art of deception through the actions of their main characters.
8. Pain & Gain (2013)
Set in late 1990s Miami, ‘Pain & Gain’ is the story of Donald Lugo (Mark Wahlberg), a gym trainer, and Paul Doyle (Dwayne Johnson), a recently paroled man dealing with steroid side effects, and bodybuilder Adrian Doorbal (Anthony Mackie). Due to their financial needs and life aspirations, the three decide to target affluent and demanding gym member Victor Kershaw (Tony Shalhoub). The oddly incompetent trio kidnaps and tortures Kershaw for a month to gain access to his fortune.
Their initial crime quickly turns into a series of offenses, fueled by their lack of intelligence, raising the question of how long their hasty plans can last. Helmed by Michael Bay, the black comedy crime film, based on real events, explores similar existential questions as ‘Roofman.’ The narratives feature characters who aspire to greatness but find themselves entangled in crime. The morality of crime and justice is a common theme in both films.
7. I Care a Lot (2020)
In Netflix’s ‘I Care a Lot,’ Marla Grayson (Rosamund Pike) is a confident and court-appointed guardian who runs a dangerous but clever operation. She cares for a group of older individuals, seizing their assets and cleverly draining their funds through legal loopholes. In her elaborate scam, she is joined by her lover, Fran (Eiza González), who is also talented. The two women eventually target Jennifer Peterson, an affluent retiree with no heir to her wealth. However, when it turns out their targeted lady has ties to a dangerous mobster, Marla must test her limits to survive in the game of deception in the black comedy crime film, directed by J Blakeson. The visually tense narrative, the morality of crime, the element of survival, and the complexities of love connect the film to the world of ‘Roofman’ and its characters.
6. The Bling Ring (2013)
Directed by Sofia Coppola, ‘The Bling Ring’ chronicles the story of a teenager and student, Marc Hall (Israel Broussard), who develops a friendship with Rebecca Ahn (Katie Chang). Due to their ambitions, the two engage in theft. Due to their growing desire for more money, they team up with other teenagers, such as Nicki (Emma Watson), and begin to target the homes of wealthy celebrities in the narrative based on the Vanity Fair article “The Suspects Wore Louboutins” by Nancy Jo Sales. Despite initial success in crime, the group finds itself in the eye of the storm as the attention of the cops shifts towards the thieves, and the media begins to cover the robberies. The ideas of skillful theft, deception, and twisted characters in the crime drama film establish a connection with ‘Roofman.’ The elements of ambition and survival play a pivotal role in both movies.
5. The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)
‘The Wolf of Wall Street’ narrates the true story of Jordan Belfort’s (Leonardo DiCaprio) dramatic rise in the world of stockbrokering. Beginning as a low-level broker, the protagonist makes his way into Wall Street through aggressive tactics and questionable methods. As he begins to run his own brokerage firm with his friends, his marital life suffers due to his infidelity. Based on the eponymous memoir by Jordan Belfort and directed by Martin Scorsese, the biographical black comedy crime film chronicles the challenges faced by the protagonist as he dives deeper into lust and greed. On the lines of ‘Roofman,’ it features a complex main character who engages in crime. Both films are based on actual events and explore the intertwining of crime and love, along with the consequences.
4. American Hustle (2013)
Helmed by David O. Russell, ‘American Hustle’ focuses on con man Irving Rosenfeld (Christian Bale) and his shrewd partner, Sydney Prosser (Amy Adams) in the late 1970s. Their lives become dangerous when FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Bradley Cooper) forces them to help him, plunging them into the alluring yet perilous world of New Jersey’s power brokers and the mafia. As Irving leads a life of risks and scams, the unpredictable nature of Irving’s wife, Rosalyn (Jennifer Lawrence), threatens to destroy everything. The crime drama film, akin to ‘Roofman,’ examines the hustler abilities of the main characters, while also exploring the dangers of being involved in illegal activities. The complexities of love intertwined with crime are explored in the movies.
3. Hit Man (2023)
‘Hit Man’ chronicles the ups and downs in the life of Gary Johnson (Glen Powell), a hit man for the cops in New Orleans. Living a double life as a professor, his life takes a turn when he crosses paths with a beautiful woman named Madison Figueroa Masters (Adria Arjona). He aims to help her achieve liberation from an abusive husband, but is challenged by his own romantic feelings towards her. Having lived a life of pure professionalism, the killer finds it difficult to separate his two lives due to his increasing interest in Madison.
Directed by Richard Linklater, the romantic crime comedy film navigates the idea of love and sacrifice. Based on the eponymous magazine article by Skip Hollandsworth, it bears resemblance to the world of ‘Roofman’ due to its portrayal of the conflict between love and survival. The professional boundaries of protagonists are challenged by complex feelings of love in both narratives. The visual elements of the films also connect them on a greater level.
2. Logan Lucky (2017)
Directed by Steven Soderbergh, ‘Logan Lucky’ is a comedy thriller that centers on the Logan brothers, Jimmy (Channing Tatum) and Clyde (Adam Driver), as they plan to execute an elaborate heist during the Coca-Cola 600 race at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. In this adventure, they are joined by their sister, Mellie (Riley Keough), and Joe Bang (Daniel Craig), who also possess their own talents. However, the group of thieves may soon find that the heist is not as simple as they assumed it would be. The hustle of the main characters, complex personal dynamics, skillful robberies, and adrenaline-pumping visuals connect the film to ‘Roofman.’ The movies are also similar due to their exploration of survival and redemption.
1. Catch Me If You Can (2002)
‘Catch Me If You Can,’ directed by Steven Spielberg, centers on a relentless cat-and-mouse game involving FBI agent Carl Hanratty (Tom Hanks), who goes against a dangerous con artist named Frank Abagnale Jr. (Leonardo DiCaprio). The criminal attempts to evade the police and manipulate the system as he executes elaborate scams. To achieve his goals, Carl must go beyond his limits and catch the charismatic offender. Based on the eponymous semi-autobiographical book by Frank Abagnale Jr. and Stan Redding, the film follows a true story of a relentless manhunt, similar to ‘Roofman.’ Both films are driven by clever criminals, curious cops, and love stories, while also featuring similar visual elements.
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