The Caveman's Valentine

2001 "Romulus Ledbetter lives on the edge. The view is incredible."
5.8| 1h45m| R| en| More Info
Released: 19 January 2001 Released
Producted By: Franchise Pictures
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
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Romulus, a misunderstood musician turned recluse hiding from personal demons in a New York City cave, finds the frozen body of a young drifter in a tree. The authorities, including his police officer daughter, claim the death is accidental. Romulus is convinced the man was murdered by a prominent art photographer but how can he prove he's right when everyone thinks he's insane?

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Director

Kasi Lemmons

Production Companies

Franchise Pictures

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The Caveman's Valentine Audience Reviews

Merolliv I really wanted to like this movie. I feel terribly cynical trashing it, and that's why I'm giving it a middling 5. Actually, I'm giving it a 5 because there were some superb performances.
Salubfoto It's an amazing and heartbreaking story.
Aubrey Hackett While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.
Francene Odetta It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.
NateWatchesCoolMovies The Caveman's Valentine has always fascinated me. As someone who has a mental illness, I've always tried my best to seek out films that portray such conditions in a respectable, inquisitive and enlightening tone. While this one cushions it's earnestness with a slightly lurid and generic murder mystery, much of its desire to explore its character's inner mindset shine through superbly and with much more authenticity than other films that try the same. Unless you suffer through, or have some intimate experience with someone like this protagonist, it's tough to artistically represent their state. This one manages very well, and Samuel L. Jackson gives one of the most memorable, affecting and curiously overlooked performances of his career so far. Jackson is an actor who almost always gets cast in assured, authoritative roles. Here he portrays exactly the opposite of that as Romulus, a severely schizophrenic man who lives in a cave in Central Park, New York City. Romulus was once a brilliant pianist and a student at Juilliard, before his illness cut his career and personal life painfully short. He spends his days in confusion, raving in delusion about an all powerful man named Stuyvesant who secretly manipulates everyone in the city. When a young man is found murdered near his cave door, he feels an internal compulsion to find out what happened to him. As you might imagine, a man with his affliction might not make the most reliable detective, but Romulus tries his best and in between bouts of paranoia he makes his way towards weirdo avant grade photographer David Leppenraub (always excellent Colm Feore) who may have had something to do with the homicide. He also has a daughter (Aunjanue Ellis) who is a policewoman and somewhat resents him through her ignorance, and a wife (Tamara Tunie) who no doubt left, but still speaks to him in segments of his visions. Because his perceptions can't be trusted, even by himself, it makes it a touch and go plot-line that's heavily accented by frequent visual detours into his own consciousness, where humanoid Moth Sarefs hauntingly play unearthly instruments. Director Kasi Lemmons is not only a woman, but an actress herself, both traits which I believe lead to a certain intuitive advantage in filmmaking. I absolutely love how she moulds the narrative to patiently linger with Romulus's perception of events and never make them sensationalistic or rushed. Even though Romulus walks through a dangerous, real world story of murder and corruption, the film always sticks with his childlike, abstract and very intangible internal view of the world, a choice which most films either don't possess the courage or aren't allowed to do. Jackson is subtle, complex dynamite in what is for me the best work of his career, playing completely against type and most definitely the opposite of his usual instincts to give us something truly special, to any viewer who wishes to exhibit the same patience and understanding that the filmmakers have strived for in making this unique piece.
Brent Trafton "The Caveman's Valentine" is funny in both sense of the word. It is both odd and laugh out loud funny.I imagine the producers got the script and saw there were plot holes. Instead of fixing the plot holes, they decided to just have fun. The ending result is a potentially somber film being absolutely fun to watch.The main reason to see this film is for the performance of Samual L. Jackson as Romulas. He is a tortured genius; a classical pianist and composer who is haunted by demons. His performance makes the entire movie worthwhile.I couldn't give this movie any higher than a 7 because it has some serious plot holes, but it is a fun movie to watch.
Aaron Martinez Wow… I don't care what people think about Samuel L. Jackson, that man is amazing. This film shows his versatility something fierce.This is a great film about a man named Romulus who most would consider homeless. But in the film, if you called him homeless he gets mad because he actually lives in a cave by a little park. He's a used-to-be musician who ends up going insane and can't finish school. He ends up finding a dead man, and is convinced that he knows who killed him. He spends most of the film trying to prove it while also battling the things inside his crazy head.The entire story is told amazingly unique. His character was very strange, and the way the director portrayed what Romulus was thinking was innovative, as well as straight forward. You need to see this film.
Emerenciano Samuel L. Jackson is a very good actor, and everybody knows that. His performance here is remarkable and he really makes character strong. The story is interesting, but not brilliant or really original. Anyway, "The Caveman's Valentine" pleases and is recommended.my rate 7/10