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critics consensus

The Caveman's Valentine has an intriguing premise, but the film falls flat under the weight of its ambition. Read critic reviews

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The Caveman's Valentine Photos

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Movie Info

Romulus (Samuel L. Jackson) is a homeless man who dwells in a cave in one of New York City's parks, but was once a promising composer. When a boy is discovered dead on Valentine's Day, everyone assumes he froze to death, but Romulus believes he was murdered by noted photographer David Leppenraub (Colm Feore). He struggles to convince everyone, including his police officer daughter -- but, inspired by hallucinations of his late wife, he eventually gets his chance to crack the case himself.
  • Rating:
    R (Language|Brief Sexuality|Some Violence)
  • Genre:
    drama
  • Original Language:
    English
  • Director:
    Kasi Lemmons
  • Producer:
    Danny DeVito, Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher, Elie Samaha, Andrew Stevens
  • Writer:
    George Dawes Green
  • Release Date (Theaters):
     wide
  • Release Date (Streaming):
  • Box Office (Gross USA):
    $687.1K
  • Runtime:
  • Production Co:
    Homeless Film Productions, Universal Pictures, Jersey Shore, Franchise Pictures, Arroyo Pictures
  • Sound Mix:
    Dolby SR, DTS, Dolby Stereo, Surround, SDDS, Dolby A, Dolby Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    Scope (2.35:1)

Cast & Crew

Samuel L. Jackson
Romulus Ledbetter
Colm Feore
Leppenraub
Ann Magnuson
Moira
Aunjanue Ellis
Lulu
Rodney Eastman
Matthew
Tamara Tunie
Sheila
Jay Rodan
Joey, No Face
Anthony Michael Hall
Bob
Damir Andrei
Arnold
Joris Jarsky
Boy Toy , Andy
Kasi Lemmons
Director
Danny DeVito
Producer
Michael Shamberg
Producer
Stacey Sher
Producer
Elie Samaha
Producer
Andrew Stevens
Producer
George Dawes Green
Writer
George Dawes Green
Writer (Novel)
Amelia Vincent
Director of Photography
Robin Standefer
Production Designer
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Critic Reviews for The Caveman's Valentine

All Critics (84) | Top Critics (32) | Fresh (38) | Rotten (46)

View All Critic Reviews (84)

Audience Reviews for The Caveman's Valentine

  • Feb 15, 2020
    A thoroughly strange noir. The resolution is a bit muddled but before that point the protagonists' instability creates a hallucinogenic atmosphere. You're just never sure what is real.
    Alec B Super Reviewer
  • Jul 12, 2012
    Romulus Ledbetter: I got freezing temperatures all over my brain. And I got legends of angels up there! Like little moths, and they'll beat the hell out of you with their wings!  "Inside a tortured mind... The clues that lead to a killer." This weird crime thriller is just as schizophrenic as its character Romulus. I really don't know exactly what to think about it. As of now, all I really know is that I didn't enjoy it. I wasn't particularly thrilled by the story, nor was I enamored by the style. It was also maybe the first time I have seen Samuel L. Jackson in a movie, and didn't love his performance. His acting was more than just schizophrenic, it was off the wall and over the top. I'm guessing that's what the director wanted because the whole movie came off like that as well. It had all the makings to be a truly intelligent thriller. I liked the initial idea for the movie, but by the thirty minute mark, I was less then thrilled by what was going on. By the hour mark, I knew this wasn't going to be good. And by the hour and a half mark, I really just didn't care anymore.  Romulus is a genius musician who attended Juilliard. Now he lives in a cave in a New York City park. He's also crazy as fuck, seeing images and talking to his ex-wife like she is present. He also has a variety of crazy theories. When he finds a frozen corpse in a tree outside of his cave, he starts expressing what he thinks happened, to the police; one of which is his daughter. Obviously they think he is crazy. He decides to try to investigate what is going on by himself.  The Caveman's Valentine isn't an unwatchable movie, it's just one that I couldn't particularly get into and enjoy. I normally can enjoy these psychological, mind fuck movies, but this one was either too much or too little. I haven't really decided yet. I still can't really organize my thoughts on this one. Maybe I'll revisit it in a few years and I'll like it. Or maybe I will realize why I disliked it to the extreme of which I did, because normally like a movie or not; I know exactly why. This one... not so much.
    Melvin W Super Reviewer
  • May 15, 2010
    It was very weird seeing Samuel L. Jackson with big beard and long dreadlocks. Jackson stars as a genius and educated musician who gets very affected by hallucinations and paranoia, he ends up living in a cave and one morning he finds a dead body outside his cave and panics. The investigators believe that this man has frozen to death but the caveman knows that the man has been murdered and he will do anything to convince people that this is the case. This movie was very different from what I'm used to and surprisingly good.
    Naughtia N Super Reviewer
  • Aug 30, 2008
    <b>First of all AMAZING PERFORMANCE BY SAMUEL L JACKSON. There were some moments in the Movie that I was abit lost, but then I was fine. I liked the special effects, those Pictures in his Mind, but at the same time they were really confusing me. That Green was really ehh I dont know how to describe it... buah. This Movie deserves at least four stars. I was positively surprised at the End.
    Lilo C Super Reviewer
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