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The most surprising aspect of Michael Sarnoski's feature directorial debut "Pig" is just how surprising it really is. While watching the movie - a quick 90 minutes, without an ounce of fat on the bone - it feels like a familiar-enough tale, but the film's power is its lingering effect. It's been about a week since screening the movie and my mind continues to wander back to it, deeply affected by the melancholic tale of a man and his truffle hunting pig.
The synopsis of the Nicolas Cage-led film might make you think you've seen it all before. Sure, a revenge picture starring Cage, in search of his pig, might feel like it was his turn for a "John Wick"-like shoot ‘em up. Blood is spilled, but "Pig" isn't nearly as relentless and, in turn, tedious as the "John Wick" movies tend to be. This is a thoughtful and meditative exploration of loss and what one companion means to someone who has chosen an exiled life.
Cage plays Rob, who lives in a remote cabin in Oregon with his trusty pig. As one could imagine, Rob's living conditions are sparse and he tends to live off the land, but knows he needs supplies from the world outside. Once a week, Amir (Alex Wolff) drives to Rob's cabin in his fancy car and expensive suit to pick up the truffles Rob finds with the help of his pig. One night, Rob's cabin is ransacked by intruders and his pig is taken from him. Rob is devastated. He loves nothing in this world like the pig and is forced to travel into civilized Portland to find those who took her. Throughout his journey, he is forced to confront his past and the movie allows us to get to know more about the grizzled man who lives alone in the wilderness. He needs help getting around, so he forces Amir to join him on his quest.
Sarnoski, who co-wrote the screenplay with Vanessa Block, evenhandedly directs the movie, striking a thoughtful balance between character exploration and conventional thriller. "Pig" is a sly little movie; it's planting itself in your memory and sneaks up on you when you least expect it. A great deal of that has to do with Cage's performance. The Oscar-winning actor (who won for his performance in "Leaving Las Vegas") was once a staple of the 90s and early aughts, but as the movie industry changed, so did his ability to bring audiences out. As Cage's stature dropped, he never really stopped working. In fact, he began to work more in cheap, generic thrillers (including six just in 2019), which rarely found a life cycle. But the more we saw Cage, the more he seemed to disappear. "Pig" is a reminder that there's an effective actor inside the person turning out forgettable junk multiple times a year. His performance as Rob is the best work he has done since 2003's wonderful "Matchstick Men."
Cage's big personality has shifted his Hollywood standing from box office star to a sort of cult icon, and hopefully his admirers will be willing to go on Rob's adventure with him. There's a sadness in the character that isn't seen in the movies this unique actor pumps out with ease, and it signals a depth within Cage that he is ready to tap into again.
Pig Movie Review By Matthew Passantino
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