Disclaimer: I’m a blind film critic. In the morning, I’m making waffles.

How many McDonald’s do you need to rob in order for Channing Tatum to play you in a film? the answer is, don’t do that. He’s done it once, there’s no reason to believe he’d do it again. Although, this is exactly the kind of role Tatum needs in his life. As he moves more toward being a respected actor, films of note, like Roofman, help give him the kind of status he wants.

This is also interestingly a Christmas movie, as it takes place mostly around the holidays. Tatum plays Jeff, a man with a particular set of skills, none of which get him gainful employment. He does, however, decide his ability to see things others don’t, should help him find the weakness in fast food restaurants, so he kindly robs 45 of them. I say kindly, because he tries to be polite with those he robs, and makes sure everyone has their coats on before being locked in the walk in freezer. He wants to provide for his daughter, but he overplays his hand a bit, and gets caught. In jail, he manages to get out again, and on his escape, he hides out in a secret room in a Toys r us. We see him being incredibly resourceful while hiding out, waiting for an old military buddy (Lakeith Stanfield) to get him a fake passport to exit the country.

But what he doesn’t count on is Lee (Kirsten Dunst), a single mother he sees having a hard time working at toys r Us under her demanding boss (Peter Dinklage). he tries to help her as he can, but eventually introduces himself, and finally starts to get that American dream he wanted so bad.

that is why Roofman is so good, because director Derek Cianfrance is tapping into the unattainable at a time when so many feel like the American dream is out of their reach. they too can’t provide for their families, and while 99% of them wouldn’t go to Jeff’s extremes, they sympathize. Casting Tatum helps, as he’s effortlessly charming, perhaps even more so than the actual guy.

Kirsten Dunst, who also has gotten some acclaim for this role, does a wonderful job playing a struggling mother, rooted in faith, who is way overqualified for her job. there’s a mention of her having a Masters degree. She should probably be running the whole store at the very least. Instead, she’s struggling to make rent. Dinklage is a fun villain, and has a few great scenes.

I’ve seen this twice now, once as a screener with no audio description, and a second time with audio description. it was just as charming the second time around, solidifying how much I enjoyed it. Without audio description, there were so many little things I missed, like how Jeff gets out of jail, or how much stuff he makes in his little toys R us apartment. I got the hint of it being my kind of thing, and the audio description validated those thoughts. it is a good track, and I wonder how they got all those old toys to stock a Toys R us that doesn’t exist anymore.

Channing Tatum should be getting more praise for this. I was hoping at least for a Golden Globe Comedy Actor, but we’ve classified One Battle After Another and Marty Supreme as comedies. He won’t get an Oscar nod, but I hope roles like Jeff will continue to push Tatum closer to that goal. he should have gotten it for Foxcatcher, but the Oscars made him wait. now its up to Hollywood to give this Roofman the role of a lifetime.

At a time when Americans are struggling, Roofman feels like one of the most perfectly timed releases of the year. A winning performance from the endlessly charming Tatum promises to charm you even more.

Fresh: Final Grade: 8.5/10