This is another resurrected review from my notes of the Sundance 2001 Film Festival.

The Caveman's Valentine - one of the daily trade papers trashed this unconventional detective story starring Samuel L. Jackson as the homeless (sorry, he has a home - he lives in a cave) Rom, a mentally disturbed musical genius who takes on the role of bumbling gumshoe. I can understand why someone might have a problem with the recurring trips into Rom's mind, but the difference between this film and some of the other into-the-mind excursions of this festival is that, here, they are well-timed and make sense for the situation. And on top of that, the imagery is reflective of a genuine emotional state, not a stream of confusing images that don't make any senese.

The film goes out on a limb with its cinematography with interesting angles and use of color, and for the most part succeeds. It also manages to juggle storylines by virtue of Rom's general flightiness. In the end, is it a satisfying film? Not completely, but certainly it's one that can create discussion. Particularly about its ending, which I'll let you make up your own mind about.