Directed by Michael Sarnoski
Starring Nicholas Cage, Alex Wolff
For such a quaint title comes what seems to be a quaint film, until its roots are soon unearthed. Pig is a wonderful film that is isn’t quite what it seems at times, and often goes in areas unexpected, but comes together as a terrifically made film about coping with grief.
The story sounds simple: Robin (Nicolas Cage) lives alone in the woods with his truffle-hunting pig, though the pig is kidnapped and he goes on the hunt in the city with his employer Amir (Alex Wolff) to find her. What sounds like a ridiculous revenge-mystery film plot is actually more a journey of finding fulfilment despite all of life’s setbacks and losses.
This isn’t the detective story it initially seems to be, showing beneath this simple journey is Rob forced into reconnecting with the people and events of his past…or rather, them being forced to reconnect with him. Rob has a monolithic sigma presence that makes him wholly assertive, even if it seems he’s the one not in power. Though he spends a great deal of the movie with fresh bloody wounds on his head, he keeps such a keen composure that it seems to affect others around him.
Despite some brutality here and there, the film ultimately conveys such a sombre and calming mood, as it strips away the facade of both brutalities and inner city politeness to dig deep into the secret woes and secret aspirations of not just Rob, but all others that he encounters.
The film moves at an assured pace and each plot point seems logical and linear, but it really all seems to fall in place at the film’s conclusion, that wonderfully ties it up. Nicholas Cage keeps himself as restrained as the rest of the film, keeping a quiet lid on his burgeoning rage within. It’s a film of tranquillity, but has to dig deep through its own muck to get there.
DAVID MORGAN-BROWN
