Manuel São Bento
Written on 7/15/2021
Not watching trailers has infinite pros. From going into the theater without a visual clue about what's going to be seen on the big screen to the ability to avoid spoilery clips that ruin supposedly surprising moments, this is a methodology I've been strictly employing in my life. So far, I've had nothing but spectacular screenings. Watching a movie completely blind is an experience I recommend to every film lover. This intro serves to explain why I was so impressed by Pig's grounded, action-less, character-driven storytelling.
Without watching any trailer, just by reading the synopsis, it's impossible not to expect an absurdly crazy revenge flick starring the one and only Nicolas Cage (Prisoners of the Ghostland). Well, Michael Sarnoski delivers a subversive directorial debut, focusing on the always heavy theme of grief. Cage's character is a retired chef who lost someone he truly loved, and the (adorable) pig is the only living being he can associate with his former lover. Instead of following an action-heavy, bloody path of murder to help deal with his emotional loss like John Wick, Pig draws attention to the protagonist's feelings.
It's a wonderfully written character piece, featuring a beautiful score (Alexis Grapsas, Philip Klein), and incredibly captivating, unforgettable dialogues that replace the expected action sequences. Cage offers one of the most nuanced performances of his career, proving he's one of the most talented actors of his generation. It's a shame that most people only recognize him as Hollywood's main source of memes. Alex Wolff (Hereditary) is also outstanding as a young man with father issues, though his character's subplot isn't as interesting as the main narrative, slightly affecting the overall pacing.
Despite anticipating several action scenes, the lack thereof didn't result in disappointment but instead in a pleasant surprise. Highly recommend checking this one if you have the chance.
Rating: B+
Mahnoor Khan
Written on 7/28/2021
Pig is a drama and thriller. The story is real, authentic, touching, and emotional. Such Individual movies are known as "Cinema" and are the building blocks of the Hollywood Industry. Such movies aren't considered worthy of watching and praising just because they don't belong from a Franchise or Studio.
I love watching such movies but only a few movies touch me deeply in this genre like Joker 2019 and the Pursuit of Happiness were my favorite individual movies.
I watched this movie but I didn't find its story epic. Yes, it was a good and decent story but as I said that in this genre, only a few movies can touch my heart but unfortunately pig wasn't among all that.
But But But... the character of Nicolas Cage is just amazing in this movie and an Oscar-winning character. His character development was too good and his performance was just excellent. I would only suggest you watch this movie for Nicola's performance.
The scene where the protagonist was confronting a specific character in a hotel was outstanding. It's an emotional story of a man dealing with his past and present loss. You would love it if you love such poetic movies. But this movie isn't for everyone.
Wiccaburr
Written on 7/29/2021
With this starring Nic Cage, you would think it'll be a thriller with the same vibe of <I>John Wick</I>...and you would be sorta right.
This movie was a drama first and thriller second as we go on a journey for the main character's (Rob) pig while we explored the past of Rob and Amir's lives. There was no graphic violence, no cage rage, and no insane scenes. Like Arnold Schwarzenegger in the movie <I>Maggie (2015)</I>, this showed Cage as a raw performer which we rarely see these days.
With that said, there will be comedic moments but nothing goofy or silly. This story played on the emotions and connections the main character had toward others. If you went into this movie wanting action and Cage being a crazy individual, this won't be a good watch for you. The direction, story, and performance were all great. It did set a tone throughout and this was Michael Sarnoski's directorial debut.
Overall...this movie was something I didn't expected and it was pretty damn good. This movie might not be for everyone but it was definitely a good one in my book. Especially that ending. Go into this without any knowledge of what to expect.
fourfridays
Written on 8/21/2021
A great performance from Nicolas Cage. The story was engaging in the first half of the movie and then sort of dissipates into a search.
CinemaSerf
Written on 3/28/2022
We have waited quite a log time for this, but finally we have a film from Nicolas Cage ("Rob") into which he appears to have put some effort - and it works. He lives in the wilderness with his truffle hunting pig. Remote and isolated, his only contact with the outside world is when he meets his dealer "Amir" (Alex Wolff) who swaps the fungi for essential supplies. When his pig goes missing, "Rob" proves determined and inventive as he tries to track down its whereabouts. As the sub-plots develop, we discover there is substantially more to the character than that of just a porcine detective, and as the relationship between himself and the younger man develops, we learn more about what drove this man to seek his life of solitude. At times poignant, violent, pathetic and entertaining this film is a good showcase for an actor going back to basics - quite literally, and the handsome Wolff proves a decent enough conduit for him to tell us his story. I wasn't mad on the ending, but it is not really what I expected either.
