When a rising star is beaten by her high-profile boyfriend, the SVU detectives work every angle to bring justice against the manipulative and shameless abuser.When a rising star is beaten by her high-profile boyfriend, the SVU detectives work every angle to bring justice against the manipulative and shameless abuser.When a rising star is beaten by her high-profile boyfriend, the SVU detectives work every angle to bring justice against the manipulative and shameless abuser.
Photos
Ice-T
- Detective Odafin 'Fin' Tutuola
- (as Ice T)
Dann Florek
- Captain Donald 'Don' Cragen
- (credit only)
Raaka Kikka
- Caleb Bryant
- (as a different name)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThis episode mirrors the Rihanna & Chris Brown domestic assault case.
- Quotes
Sergeant John Munch: [about Caleb Bryant and Micha Green] They should go on a double date with Chris Brown and Rihanna.
- ConnectionsReferences Team Umizoomi (2010)
Featured review
Nothing funny about this valentine
"Funny Valentine" was another one of those episodes that did very little for me on first watch, finding it completely lacking in suspense due to the excessive predictability, dull, too sensationalist and dramatically flat. It is based on the Chris Brown and Rihanna case, one that was much publicised at the time and has been an inspiration for quite a lot of domestic violence related episodes on television. Violent relationships are a big thing and does need more awareness.
But not in a way that feels like a literal dramatisation of this particular story. Which was one of the biggest problems for me in "Funny Valentine". Which still doesn't do it for me as an episode and for pretty much the same reasons as on first watch. Except in this case, this viewing of "Funny Valentine" was worse due to further finding the mostly bad acting (which did surprise me as a vast majority of previous episodes of 'Special Victims Unit' are extremely well acted) and un-rootable characters hard to overlook.
There are good things. The best thing about it is Raul Esparza, who gives the only good performance of the episode. Absolutely love his wide range of emotions and his sparkling quips, that the rest of "Funny Valentine" was sorely lacking in. Also loved the coffee exchange between Barba and Olivia, the one scene to have any kind of sparkle.
As ever, the photography and such are fully professional, the slickness still remaining. The music is used sparingly and is haunting and non-overwrought when it is used, and it's mainly used when a crucial revelation or plot development is revealed.
For all those good things, there are so many major debits that outweigh the pros. The rest of the regular acting is disappointingly flat and phoned in, even Mariska Hargitay is uninspired (yes, did just say that). The supporting cast are even worse, very amateurish and wannabe-ish and any emotions conveyed are forced. All the characters are one dimensional, and "Funny Valentine" was an episode where nothing is felt for any of the characters that are meant to be sympathetic.
Not to mention it is also an episode where the perpetrator is far from menacing, a big problem for such a disturbing subject. Absolutely nothing new is done with over-familiar ground and the ripped from the headlines aspect is exploited and too closely indebted to the done to death case it's based on, it was like watching a watered down dramatisation of it. It is very predictable and less than suspenseful as a result with a very pedestrian pace, especially apparent in the overlong first act.
Chemistry is also flat, shining only with Olivia and Barba when together. The dialogue is melodramatic, heavy handed and forced. While the ending made me want to throw something at the wall, with it being one of those endings that just felt wrong considering the blatant obviousness of the truth.
Very disappointing episode overall. 4/10.
But not in a way that feels like a literal dramatisation of this particular story. Which was one of the biggest problems for me in "Funny Valentine". Which still doesn't do it for me as an episode and for pretty much the same reasons as on first watch. Except in this case, this viewing of "Funny Valentine" was worse due to further finding the mostly bad acting (which did surprise me as a vast majority of previous episodes of 'Special Victims Unit' are extremely well acted) and un-rootable characters hard to overlook.
There are good things. The best thing about it is Raul Esparza, who gives the only good performance of the episode. Absolutely love his wide range of emotions and his sparkling quips, that the rest of "Funny Valentine" was sorely lacking in. Also loved the coffee exchange between Barba and Olivia, the one scene to have any kind of sparkle.
As ever, the photography and such are fully professional, the slickness still remaining. The music is used sparingly and is haunting and non-overwrought when it is used, and it's mainly used when a crucial revelation or plot development is revealed.
For all those good things, there are so many major debits that outweigh the pros. The rest of the regular acting is disappointingly flat and phoned in, even Mariska Hargitay is uninspired (yes, did just say that). The supporting cast are even worse, very amateurish and wannabe-ish and any emotions conveyed are forced. All the characters are one dimensional, and "Funny Valentine" was an episode where nothing is felt for any of the characters that are meant to be sympathetic.
Not to mention it is also an episode where the perpetrator is far from menacing, a big problem for such a disturbing subject. Absolutely nothing new is done with over-familiar ground and the ripped from the headlines aspect is exploited and too closely indebted to the done to death case it's based on, it was like watching a watered down dramatisation of it. It is very predictable and less than suspenseful as a result with a very pedestrian pace, especially apparent in the overlong first act.
Chemistry is also flat, shining only with Olivia and Barba when together. The dialogue is melodramatic, heavy handed and forced. While the ending made me want to throw something at the wall, with it being one of those endings that just felt wrong considering the blatant obviousness of the truth.
Very disappointing episode overall. 4/10.
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- TheLittleSongbird
- Jul 14, 2022
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