The Caveman's Valentine
Encyclopedia
The Caveman's Valentine is a 2001 American mystery
-drama film
directed by Kasi Lemmons
and starring Samuel L. Jackson
based on George Dawes Green
's novel of the same name. The film was released by Universal Focus, a subsidiary
of Universal Studios
and Focus Features
.
and pianist studying at Juilliard music school, Romulus Ledbetter (Samuel L. Jackson
), now suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and lives in a cave in Inwood Park, New York. He believes that a man named Cornelius Gould Stuyvesant is controlling the world
with rays from the top of the Chrysler Building
, and that his mind is inhabited by moth-like seraph
s. On Valentine’s Day, he discovers the frozen body of a young man, Scotty Gates (Sean MacMahon), left in a tree outside his cave. The police, including Romulus's daughter Lulu (Aunjanue Ellis
), dismiss the man's death as accident however, a homeless ex-lover of Scotty tells Romulus that he was murdered by the famous photographer David Leppenraub (Colm Feore
). Determined to discover the truth behind Scotty’s death and prove his worth to his daughter, Romulus manages to get an invitation through a former friend to perform one of his compositions at Leppenraub’s farm. What unfolds thereafter is a twisted tale of mystery, deception, and a man's struggle against his own mind.
, with a general consensus that the film "has an intriguing premise, but falls flat under the weight of its ambition." On Metacritic
, which uses an average of critics' reviews, the film has 44 out of 100, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female.
Mystery fiction
Mystery fiction is a loosely-defined term.1.It is often used as a synonym for detective fiction or crime fiction— in other words a novel or short story in which a detective investigates and solves a crime mystery. Sometimes mystery books are nonfiction...
-drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by Kasi Lemmons
Kasi Lemmons
Kasi Lemmons is an American film director and actress, most notable for her work on the films Eve's Bayou, The Caveman's Valentine and Talk to Me....
and starring Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel Leroy Jackson is an American film and television actor and film producer. After becoming involved with the Civil Rights Movement, he moved on to acting in theater at Morehouse College, and then films. He had several small roles such as in the film Goodfellas before meeting his mentor,...
based on George Dawes Green
George Dawes Green
George Dawes Green is an American novelist and the founder of the storytelling organization The Moth. Green published his first novel, The Caveman's Valentine, in 1994, and it was adapted into a film starring Samuel L. Jackson. He quickly followed that success with The Juror, also adapted into a...
's novel of the same name. The film was released by Universal Focus, a subsidiary
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
of Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
and Focus Features
Focus Features
Focus Features is the art house films division of NBC Universal's Universal Pictures, and acts as both a producer and distributor for its own films and a distributor for foreign films....
.
Plot
A former family manFamily Man
Family Man is an album released by the American hardcore punk band Black Flag in 1984. It is unique in that one side features spoken-word tracks by vocalist Henry Rollins and the other side mainly features instrumental tracks...
and pianist studying at Juilliard music school, Romulus Ledbetter (Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel L. Jackson
Samuel Leroy Jackson is an American film and television actor and film producer. After becoming involved with the Civil Rights Movement, he moved on to acting in theater at Morehouse College, and then films. He had several small roles such as in the film Goodfellas before meeting his mentor,...
), now suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and lives in a cave in Inwood Park, New York. He believes that a man named Cornelius Gould Stuyvesant is controlling the world
World domination
World Domination or Global Domination may refer to:* World Domination , 2001* World Domination , 2005* World Domination Enterprises, a UK independent rock band* World Domination Recordings, a US record label...
with rays from the top of the Chrysler Building
Chrysler Building
The Chrysler Building is an Art Deco style skyscraper in New York City, located on the east side of Manhattan in the Turtle Bay area at the intersection of 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue. Standing at , it was the world's tallest building for 11 months before it was surpassed by the Empire State...
, and that his mind is inhabited by moth-like seraph
Seraph
A seraph is a type of celestial being in Judaism and Christianity...
s. On Valentine’s Day, he discovers the frozen body of a young man, Scotty Gates (Sean MacMahon), left in a tree outside his cave. The police, including Romulus's daughter Lulu (Aunjanue Ellis
Aunjanue Ellis
Aunjanue L. Ellis is an American actress known for her roles in Ray, in Undercover Brother, and on The Mentalist....
), dismiss the man's death as accident however, a homeless ex-lover of Scotty tells Romulus that he was murdered by the famous photographer David Leppenraub (Colm Feore
Colm Feore
Colm Feore is an American-born Canadian stage, film and television actor.-Early life:Feore was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Irish parents who lived in Ireland for several years during Feore's early life. The family subsequently moved to Windsor, Ontario, where Feore grew up.After graduating...
). Determined to discover the truth behind Scotty’s death and prove his worth to his daughter, Romulus manages to get an invitation through a former friend to perform one of his compositions at Leppenraub’s farm. What unfolds thereafter is a twisted tale of mystery, deception, and a man's struggle against his own mind.
Cast
- Samuel L. JacksonSamuel L. JacksonSamuel Leroy Jackson is an American film and television actor and film producer. After becoming involved with the Civil Rights Movement, he moved on to acting in theater at Morehouse College, and then films. He had several small roles such as in the film Goodfellas before meeting his mentor,...
- Romulus Ledbetter - Colm FeoreColm FeoreColm Feore is an American-born Canadian stage, film and television actor.-Early life:Feore was born in Boston, Massachusetts to Irish parents who lived in Ireland for several years during Feore's early life. The family subsequently moved to Windsor, Ontario, where Feore grew up.After graduating...
- David Leppenraub - Aunjanue EllisAunjanue EllisAunjanue L. Ellis is an American actress known for her roles in Ray, in Undercover Brother, and on The Mentalist....
- Officer Lulu Ledbetter - Tamara TunieTamara TunieTamara Renee Tunie is an American actress. She is best known for her portrayal of attorney Jessica Griffin on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns, and medical examiner Melinda Warner on the NBC police drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit...
- Sheila Ledbetter - Jay RodanJay RodanJay Rodan is a British actor, writer and director.Rodan was born in Durban, South Africa to a Scottish father and South African mother of Scots, Dutch and French descent...
- Joey Peasley - Ann MagnusonAnn MagnusonAnn Magnuson is an American actress, performance artist, and nightclub performer who first gained prominence in the 1985 film Desperately Seeking Susan...
- Moira Leppenraub - Anthony Michael HallAnthony Michael HallMichael Anthony Hall , known professionally as Anthony Michael Hall, is an American actor, film producer and director who starred in several teen-oriented films of the 1980s. Hall began his career in commercials and on stage as a child, and made his screen debut in 1980...
- Bob - Sean MacMahon - Scotty Gates
Box office
Domestic summary:- Budget: $13.5 million
- Opening Weekend: $112,041 (16 theaters)
- Widest release: 59 theaters
- % of total gross: 16.3%
- Close date: June 14, 2001 (15 weeks in release)
- Total U.S. gross: $687,194
- Worldwide gross: $687,194
Critical reception
The Caveman's Valentine received a 45% rating on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
, with a general consensus that the film "has an intriguing premise, but falls flat under the weight of its ambition." On Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, which uses an average of critics' reviews, the film has 44 out of 100, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
Awards
In 2002, Tamara TunieTamara Tunie
Tamara Renee Tunie is an American actress. She is best known for her portrayal of attorney Jessica Griffin on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns, and medical examiner Melinda Warner on the NBC police drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit...
was nominated for the Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female.