Roofman

He robbed dozens of fast-food restaurants, subsequently escaped from prison, and lied about his identity to an entire community. But Roofman argues that Jeffrey Manchester is deserving of a second chance — maybe not legally, but emotionally.

This crowd-pleasing comedy actually makes a pretty persuasive case by embracing the absurdity of its true-life saga, however embellished it might be, and by emphasizing the underlying kind spirit of its misguided protagonist.

After all, the tall-tale craziness is part of the allure in this biopic from director Derek Cianfrance (The Place Between the Pines), which relies on its quirks and a forgiving audience that won’t mind the lack of narrative depth or moral complexity.

It starts in 1990s North Carolina, where Jeff (Channing Tatum) is an ex-Marine and struggling family man who is arrested after robbing his 45th McDonald’s and sent to prison.

He manages to escape a few years later, although he knows that reuniting with his family will be impossible. So he camps out in the back of a Toys ‘R’ Us store while plotting his next move.

“The trick is to stop and find and place where no one will ever look,” Jeff explains in his narration. “Some of the best hiding places are in plain sight.”

After witnessing an employee, single mother Leigh (Kirsten Dunst), being mistreated by her boss (Peter Dinklage), Jeff is emboldened to venture out. He assumes a fake name and embeds himself in Leigh’s church community. But as their relationship deepens, how long can he keep his secret — and elude authorities?

Even while trying to chart a path to freedom via a one-way flight to South America being arranged surreptitiously by an old military buddy (LaKeith Stanfield), it seems inevitable that reality will eventually catch up.

However charming and charismatic he may be, Jeff is still an unscrupulous schemer at his core. That makes a deeper rooting interest challenging regardless of the sincerity of his intentions or unfortunate nature of his circumstances.

As it blurs the lines between heroes and villains, the well-researched if uneven screenplay struggles to combine a breezy caper comedy and a heartwarming redemption saga without feeling forced.

Tatum is endearing as he explores his inner man-child, although Roofman is too eager to portray his character as a lovable, misunderstood goofball while downplaying the ramifications of his misdeeds. It’s a toy story that’s too playful.

Rated R, 126 minutes.