A truffle hunter who lives alone in the woods returns after many years to the city that once gave him a reputation after his pig gets kidnapped.
Pig is the kind of film that, when you know nothing about it, you get a surprising cinematic experience. Well, you get that with most Nicolas Cage films anyway, but the narrative looks like Pig was written for Cage, and that’s it. Therefore, unexpected narrative + Cage = double the surprise!
I will just give you a one-line summary and keep it short to avoid spoiling the crucial parts. The once best and hard-as-nails chef in Portland, who also had an extraordinary reputation in underground restaurant fights (???) and once disappeared into the woods, resurfaces himself, raising hell when his pig gets kidnapped. I mean… WTF?! How does one green-light such a concept? How does one even conceive it, to begin with? It sounds like writer/director Michael Sarnoski, a David Lynch fan, liked John Wick (2014), smoked a couple, and then put it together. Remember, everything is happening because someone stole his pig. How does Lynch come into play? The two Cage monologues. The first one sounds completely irrelevant – or is it? It was as if Rob listened to a different story and recited something from a different movie. Check Amir’s reaction that reflects the audience’s. This brings us to the second one, which is all about Chef Derek’s (David Knell) close-up reaction as the story evolves. His reaction is priceless. That is Lynch through and through, and Sarnoski brilliantly encapsulates it.
There is so much I could say about this film, but I won’t. I’ve already said enough, and it will just ruin the experience. Principal photography lasted 20 days, and all cast and crew had to work like a Swiss watch as the budget was tiny. And after they actually did, about an hour was taken out in the cutting room because Neon thought it was too long.
Definitely worth the watch! Will you find meaning, eventually? Only if you put your phones down, turn the lights off, and understand why Rob’s journey takes place. A journey explicated though his stories and attitude towards people and circumstances. But also… what the pig means to him and why. I hope you enjoy it!
Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.
Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!
Stay safe!
