Title – Pig (2021) 

Director – Michael Sarnoski (feature debut) 

Cast – Nicolas Cage, Alex Wolff, Adam Arkin

Plot – Reclusive truffle hunter Rob (Cage) sets out with the help of business associate Amir (Wolff) to find his beloved foraging pig after she is pignapped by strangers. This quest brings Rob back to his old city of Portland where his past begins to emerge from the ashes of history. 

“We don’t get a lot of things to really care about”

Review by Eddie on 17/09/2021

Most surprises in life aren’t often of the pleasant variety but if there was a 2021 surprise for all of us to take stock in its Pig, a truly unlikely high-quality film that is absolutely not the movie you expect it to be, as it becomes both a touching drama and a timely reminder that when given the opportunity, the oft-maligned Nicolas Cage is still right up there with the very best working in the industry today. 

What on paper may appear to be yet another tax necessity direct to video d-grader starring the one time Oscar winner, Pig is not Taken with hooves and is far removed from the type of mindless fare you’d expect from first time feature film director Michael Sarnoski, as we get a meditative, slowly-paced and effective examination of life, what we find purposes in and love as Sarnoski’s 90 minute drama slowly begins to show it’s hand on it’s way too what is likely too remain one of 2021’s most emotional poignant final stretches. 

Appearing in almost every scene of the film, Nicolas Cage is award worthy here as reclusive truffle hunter Rob, a man who has eschewed society (and showers!) and only has one remaining contact in the form of Alex Wolff’s (delivering a performance that is too worthy of award recognition) budding entrepreneur Amir and finds peace and meaning in his friendship with his beloved foraging pig that is taken from him by a bunch of strangers Rob is determined to track down. 

Saying too much more about where Pig goes and how it goes about it would be a disservice to the carefully considered way in which Sarnoski and his leading man tell their tale but more often than not the story of Rob and his quest to discover who has his hooved friend takes us to unexpected places and deals with instances in unexpected ways and in a day and age where many films simply follow a path trodden out before them previously, Pig is a breath of fresh air in the most surprising of ways imaginable. 

Also helping its case to becoming 2021’s most unpredictably great drama and one of the best films of the year period is the films haunting and minimalistic score by Alexis Grapsas and Philip Klein, the moody cinematography by Patrick Scola and the pitch perfect script by Sarnoski, who has well and truly announced himself to the industry with this uniquely beautiful effort. 

Final Say – 

Put your prejudices aside and forget what type of film you think Pig is going to be on face value, this is one of 2021’s best film’s and a resounding reminder of the talents of Nicolas Cage. 

4 1/2 bike owners out of 5