Roofman
After escaping from prison, former soldier and professional thief Jeffrey Manchester finds a hideout inside a Toys "R" Us, surviving undetected for months while planning his next move. However, when Jeffrey falls for a divorced mom, his double life starts to unravel.
DIRECTOR
Derek Cianfrance (The Place Beyond the Pines)
actors
Channing Tatum • Kirsten Dunst • LaKeith Stanfield • Juno Temple • Peter Dinklage
2h 06m • Rated M • Crime, Comedy-Drama, True Story • USA
The island setting, the modest production, and the humor that often arises from character rather than contrivance work together to keep the film from ever feeling flat. On the flip side, a few feel the pacing is uneven, or that the secondary characters don’t always land. Still, even these criticisms tend to be soft and in the service of a film that is more heartwarming than perfect.
Overall, the consensus sees The Ballad of Wallis Island as a warm, wistful, and soul-soothing film—modest in scope but rich in feeling. It’s not trying to dazzle, but it digs in where it matters: loss, memory, music, human connection. For many, it’s one of the more emotionally satisfying films of 2025.
The Ballad of Wallis Island is a quietly charming British comedy-drama directed by James Griffiths, written by and starring Tom Basden and Tim Key, alongside Carey Mulligan. The story centers on Charles, a lonely lottery winner living on a remote Welsh island, who invites his favorite folk duo—Herb McGwyer and Nell Mortimer—to reunite for a private performance. His motive isn’t just fandom; there are unresolved heartbreaks, nostalgia, and grief behind his idealistic gesture.
Critics are largely enamored with the film’s balance of humor and melancholy. Tim Key’s performance as Charles is praised for being endearingly awkward, verbose, and heart-on-sleeve, often using verbal wit to stave off silence. Basden as Herb, and Mulligan as Nell, deliver subtle, emotionally resonant performances, especially when the old romantic and artistic tensions surface—and you begin to feel what’s been lost, as well as what hope might remain. The original music is another highlight; the songs feel lived in, and the film uses them not as spectacle, but as emotional anchors.
Some reviewers point out that the premise is familiar—a fan’s devotee, reunited artists, romantic regrets—but argue that the execution elevates it.
CRITICS ROUNDUP
However, some criticism has centred on a resistance to dig deeply into the psychology behind Manchester’s choices — several critics felt the “why” of his path remains under-explored even if the “what” is vividly realised. The film’s tonal shifts — from heist to hide-out, from comedy to drama — also proved divisive: for some viewers the transitions felt seamless, for others a little uneven. Still overall the consensus leans positive: Roofman is considered a quietly compelling true-crime piece that transcends its genre trappings by focusing on character and consequence rather than just thrills.
CRITICS ROUNDUP
A compelling true-crime dramedy anchored by unexpected emotional depth.
The film has been widely praised for the magnetic performances at its centre, with Channing Tatum delivering perhaps his most layered portrayal to date of a man both roguish and vulnerable, and Kirsten Dunst grounding the material with quiet emotional clarity. Critics appreciated how the story balances the absurdity of Manchester’s real-life escapades with credible human stakes, particularly as the romance and deceit intertwine. Many reviewers pointed out that director Derek Cianfrance keeps the narrative lean and anchored in character rather than spectacle, giving the film a surprisingly tender undercurrent despite its criminal caper roots.