Barrett Brief Belated Movie Review – PIG – How To Get Unstuck From A Moment

Barrett Brief Belated Movie Review – PIG – How To Get Unstuck From A Moment

*This is a part of a series of film reviews to catch up on as the end of the year closes

Summary: A truffle hunter who lives alone in the Oregonian wilderness must return to his past in Portland in search of his beloved foraging pig after she is kidnapped.

Genre: Drama, Thriller 

When the trailer for there Nicholas Cage film PIG came out, we all thought the same thing. This is gonna be John Wick but with Cage raging through Portland trying to find a pig. To be honest, I was down for that. However, after watching PIG I get why people are raving over it. PIG is the exact opposite of John Wick and that is a good thing. Where one approaches loss with action, the other approaches it with love. It is not as cheesy as I just made it sound. If you are looking for a slow burn drama with and ending that will make you think, PIG is a film you should consider. 

When A Pig Is Not A Pig

The titular pig is not just an animal. When Rob’s wife dies, he packs up and leaves the world, literally. He heads off into the woods and his only companion is a truffle pig. We see in the beginning that his life is structured searching for truffles with his pig. When his pig is stolen and he sets off to find it, we are lead to believe it is because it’s his animal and he wants it back. As the film progress and we see just how abruptly he left his previous life behind it becomes more clear. The tram of losing his wife stopped Rob’s world. Instead of addressing his grief and moving on, he isolated himself and poured all of his emotions into this animal. Having to return to his previous life in Portland, OR forces him to face the trauma that he never did. The ending (which I will not spoil) forces him to move on. It is a well earned journey that isn’t fun, but well done. 

 The Cast

Nicolas Cage (Rob) gives an understated, mesmerizing performance. We were all expecting the “Cage Rage” as he attempts to find his beloved pig. However he rarely raises his voice. He hesitation to return to a life he left is present and his slow acceptance of the trauma that he was so desperate to leave behind is well done. One of his best in a while. Alex Wolff (Amir) does a fine job working off Cage and giving earlier scenes energy so Cage can keep his demeanor low.  That is it, these two are the majority of the film. The only other actor that gets significant time is Adam Arkin (Darius) who does an excellent job with what he is given. 

Plot & Pacing

The plot is well constructed. There is enough time to establish life for Rob and his pig before the inciting incident. Once the event happens, the film resists the urge to go full revenge film. Instead the film becomes a reflection of how we deal with trauma. This film is a slow burn and it works the tension and plot elements well.

Technical notes

The way they dressed Cage is key. When the film starts he is in his element and his dress fit in. As he reappears into society and traces his previous life, he looks like a ghost from another time. 

Overall

If you are looking for a slow burn drama with and ending that will make you think, PIG is a film you should consider. 

Score:

3 out of 4 briefcases