Pig (2021) Review
-For the Uncensored!
Pig, starring Nicholas Cage, and produced by Neon Films, was a curious film to any Nicholas Cage fan. Directed by Michael Sarnoski, whose credits are five episodes of the show Olympia, Fight Night Legacy. He boasts three short films, That (2012), Fight Night Legacy (2012, and was the basis for the series, and Love of the Dead (2011 (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11003218/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_1). What Nicholas Cage has done to transform himself from the 80’s, from movies like Moonstruck (1987), to Da Vinci Code look a likes National Treasure (2004 and 2007), to psychedelic horror films like Mandy (2018), the audience can never know what he might do next.
Much of the plot is very bare bones. And spoilers for anyone who would like to see the film. Go and watch it before reading this review. You have been warned.
What starts as a film akin to John Wick, is really an dramatic film that takes more cues from Anthony Bourdain than it does anything close to an action film. And for those looking for that, will be disappointed, but a slow burn crime film is what you get in return. Robert Feldman, a man who lost his wife to a mysterious violent event, caused him to hide in the woods for ten years. He spends his days looking for Truffles, which his pet pig can find. As it turns out, Truffles are worth a lot of money. Robert Fields is called into action when his pig is stolen.
They way he wears a white beard almost gives the audience the sense of loss and grief. He can’t even play an old tape of his wife at the beginning. He doesn’t even have a phone. His assistant, Amir, (played by Amir Wolff) doesn’t even know his name, but is a “friend of his father’s.”
Some of the nature scenes are so gorgeous that the director delivers it with smooth camera shots that cover the beauty, but doesn’t linger on it for too long. When he’s called into action, a young assistant, who helps him sell his truffles, accompanies him into Portland fight clubs. Only Robert Field is a ghost to many, and the manager tells him, “You have no currency anymore.”
Only he allows himself to be punched for more than a minute before he’s knocked out underneath the Portland Hotel. Receiving the money, he stays with the young assistant. A conversation between him and the assistant show where Nicholas Cage, in soft tones, almost indecipherable, speaks of how the world will be consumed by water. And you can tell Robert Field is broken, shattered, by the loss of his wife.
The young assistant also has problems with his father, whose mother is on life support, but tells Robert she tried to commit suicide. That’s not really told in great detail as to why she tried to commit suicide, but the less that’s said creates a fascinating portrayal of pain and hardship felt.
Tragedy can happen at any time. The streets of Portland are haunting, as Robert returns to his house, where he talks with a young child that sits inside his house. It makes sense as Robert is trying to piece his life back together, and as the film progresses, he doesn’t talk like he did when he slept in the young assistants apartment.
The next scene allows us more into Robert’s psyche as he accosts a man, Robert Finway (played by David Knell) who he once fired but now has his own business. The scene is breathtaking as Robert pierces through the chefs façade, as he tells him, “The critics aren’t real. The customers aren’t real. Your restaurant isn’t real. And you aren’t real.”
The chef’s face breaks down as he gulps his wine, turning from soft appreciation before, but nearly sobbing. When he says, “I’m looking for my pig,” Chef Finway replies, “You don’t want to make this person angry.”
When the young boy reveals that Alex’s own father, Darius (played by Adam Arkin, son of Alan Arkin, Catch-22 (1970), The Jerky Boys movie (1995), and Little Miss Sunshine fame) stole the pig, Robert is furious as he kicks in the boys car, demanding his address. He finally relents as he goes to talk to the man. The character acts like he’s a crime boss, and he offers to pay him money, “25,000” for the pig and tells him to go back to the cottage.
But the young boy sits outside his father’s house and he asks him to get a few things, and the boy is curious as to why Robert did this. “I can find truffles on my own” and expressing his love for the pig.
When he makes dinner for the young boy’s father, you almost expect some explosive climactic ending. But as the man eats, he starts crying as he drinks wine that Robert left at his wife’s tomb.
When confronting the man, he says, “I remember every meal I ever cooked. Every person I ever served.”
When revealed the kidnappers who stole the pig mishandled it, and it died, he breaks down sobbing in front of him. The noise is subdued, and this man who looked ready to kill him, just stares. Both are broken men, but by the end of the film, Robert has an arc that makes most action stars jealous.
Bringing back the idea of Nicholas Cage’s transformation really does prove his legacy of a film actor that is willing to try anything he can. With excellent shots of Portland Oregon, the settings are as much a character themselves. It really does show that young talented people are still making films, and Pig might be a film that will solidify Sarnoski as a premiere director once the older directors, like Scorsese and Tarantino retire.
I wish there were things to complain about, but for those expecting John Wick, you might be disappointed, but if you go into it realizing that this is a story about loss, pain, and tragedy, you’ll end up liking it even more. It’s a slow burn, but it’s cooked to perfection by solid acting, subtle writing, meticulous direction, and pure vision.
Final Analysis: 4.5/5
-Louis Bruno is the author of more than 15 books, including, The Michael Project, The Michael Project: Book 2: The Lost Children of Eve, Thy Kingdom Come, The Disintegrating Bloodline, Apocalypse Soldier, Hierarchy of Dwindling Sheep. His books can be found on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Lulu. He can be found on Gab, https://gab.com/thereallouistbruno, Minds https://www.minds.com/lbruno8063/. Instagram @lbrruno8063 and @louisbrunoofficialbook. Our Freedom Book https://www.ourfreedombook.com/thereallouistbruno17. He has written for the Intellectual Conservative and Ephemere. Also, he writes on https://louisbruno.substack.com, where you can support him directly, and where he will post one article sporadically (the bulk of his work will appear on substack officially). His next series, City of Sand is out now: https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/louis-bruno/city-of-sand/hardcover/product-rke9jz.html?page=1&pageSize=4. Also, if you can’t subscribe so that you can get members only content, please be sure to share the articles, as well. Every little bit helps. Thanks for reading.