Americans love the story of a charming con man. From Dirty Rotten Scoundrels to The Talented Mr. Ripley, Paper Moon to Catch Me If You Can, there’s an undeniable appeal to witnessing a man make a fortune by outsmarting others. Underneath the surface of these seductive stories is the sly suggestion that the American Dream is rigged, far easier to achieve if you have money to begin with. And so inherently, the con-man story is one of an underdog who survives by his charm and wits alone.
What is Derek Cianfrance doing making a con-man comedy? The American writer/director has built his career with daring dramas, like the brutal breakup movie Blue Valentine, the crime drama The Place Beyond the Pines, and the romantic offering The Light Between Oceans, starring serious leading men like Ryan Gosling and Michael Fassbender. Yet his latest is a romantic comedy starring Channing Tatum and Kirsten Dunst that is inspired by a real-life con man and convicted criminal whose crime spree coverage labeled him “Roofman.”
11 best true crime docs about scammers, con artists, and deadly deceptions
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