First look of Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst in Roofman revealed

Channing Tatum stars in and as Roofman, the latest film from Blue Valentine director Derek Cianfrance. The film revolves around real-life felon Jeffrey Manchester, who was arrested for his robbery spree. Co-written by Cianfrance with Kirt Gunn, the script traces a time in Manchester's life in 2004 when he broke out of prison.

During those six months, Manchester pretended to be John Zorn in a North Carolina community. Under this alias, he started breaking into the walls of Toys "R" Us stores to explore its interior. That's when he crossed paths with Leigh Wainscott, a divorced mother who was working at one of these toy stores, and got into a relationship with him.

Joining Tatum as Wainscott is Kirsten Dunst, who has worked on everything from historical dramas (Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette) and war dramas (Alex Garland's Civil War) to superhero movies (Sam Raimi's Spider-Man trilogy). Roofman offers her a role that is grounded and devoid of the dramatic cliches that come in similar projects. Here is a first look at her and Tatum, shared by Entertainment Weekly:

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Kirsten Dunst and Channing Tatum had nothing but praise for director Derek Cianfrance

69th Annual Directors Guild Of America Awards - Press Room (Image via Getty)

In the cover story for EW, the Roofman leads shared their experiences of working on the film with Cianfrance, who has previously directed gut-wrenching relationship dramas The Place Beyond the Pines (2012), Blue Valentine (2010), and The Light Between Oceans (2010).

Despite the heightened tension and the intrinsic sentimentality of its narratives, Cianfrance ensured that none of its drama veers into sappier territory and dulls its overall impact. That is precisely what fascinated Dunst about the director, and judging by her comments, we're up for something as soul-crushing as his prior work.

"Not always do you get a movie that's this genuine, which is so hard to do without being cheesy or manipulative. There'snone of that in this movie. It just makes you feel good, laugh, and cry," Dunst told EW.

Tatum also revealed how Cianfrance is interested in the in-between moments in the lives of his characters instead of focusing solely on the central actions.

"Derek really wanted me to break through the roof. Lots of times in movies, you're trying to shave off every little unnecessary moment, so you can put in more story or action. Derek loves those in-between moments of like, ‘Oh, I can'tget this roof shingle off.’ It's the struggle of the thing. He doesn't want it to be nice and neat and carefully pre-planned, where it doesn't look hard," Tatum said.

More details about Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst's Roofman

Based on recent comments from Tatum and Dunst, their latest film sounds like a fine blend of crime, drama, and romance. Here's the official plot synopsis,

"Based on a true story, a former Army Ranger and struggling father turns to robbing McDonald's restaurants by cutting holes in their roofs, earning him the nickname "Roofman." After escaping from prison, he starts a new life while hiding in a toy store, falling in love with a single mother and her two daughters. However, his criminal past and a final robbery threaten to destroy his chance at redemption."

Aside from Dunst and Tatum, the cast includes: