TIFF 2025: Roofman, The Smashing Machine, Steve and I Swear

Daniel dives into the cinematic whirlwind of the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, spotlighting three premieres that captured the festival's diverse energy. From bold character studies to gripping true stories, these films showcase TIFF's knack for launching unforgettable narratives. Roofman, directed by Derek Cianfrance, stars Channing Tatum as Jeffrey Manchester, a real-life criminal hiding on a toy store roof, assuming a new identity, and forming a relationship with an employee, alongside Kirsten Dunst and Peter Dinklage. The Smashing Machine, directed by Benny Safdie, features Dwayne Johnson as MMA fighter Mark Kerr, chronicling his career highs and personal struggles with addiction, co-starring Emily Blunt as his wife Dawn Staples. Steve, directed by Tim Mielants, follows a headteacher at a reform school for troubled boys navigating a chaotic day amid institutional pressures and personal strains, adapted from Max Porter's novella Shy. I Swear, directed by Kirk Jones, stars Robert Aramayo as John Davidson, following his life with Tourette's syndrome, from diagnosis challenges to advocacy work, with Maxine Peake and Peter Mullan. The rest of our TIFF coverage will follow over the coming days, highlighting the good and the bad of the biggest film festival in North America.  If you have any questions or comments, or would like to recommend a movie we cover next please reach out to us on social media. We're on Facebook, X (formerly known as Twitter) and Instagram.