Pig 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+

— Manuel São Bento

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.

— Mahnoor Khan

With this starring Nic Cage, you would think it'll be a thriller with the same vibe of John Wick...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 Maggie (2015), 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.

— Wiccaburr

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.

— fourfridays

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.

— CinemaSerf

That'll do.

'Pig' is a good film, made very good by its conclusion - which threw me, to be honest. I wasn't, up until that moment, overly invested in the story, but when the reality hits home I actually felt my stomach sink for Nicolas Cage's Robin - unexpected!

Cage does put in a neat display, I enjoyed his performance throughout. Alex Wolff and Adam Arkin add positive bits in their respective roles, too. It's a 2021 flick that is well paced, well shot and well told. Recommended.

— r96sk

On the surface Pig is a basic story of a man on the search for his lost pig, but underneath the initial layer is a deep and compelling character study on love and loss.

In the beginning, Rob and Amir start off as distant business partners, with not much relationship other than their weekly transaction. As the film unfolds, the audience begins to discover more about each character's past and motivations, and in doing so an intimate connection form with them both. The viewer cares about Rob and wants to see him reunited with his pet. During this same time, a parallel is created between the audience and Amir as a distant stranger becomes a friend. I found it so gripping the way we know nothing about Rob, as he seems to be an outcast and a loner that no one really knows about at all, but there is more than meets the eye with him. That mystery is one of the strongest aspects of the film and the payoff is incredibly satisfying.

Nicholas Cage is absolutely fantastic in this role. Cage has very few lines throughout the entire film, as he is very reserved and closed off, but still is able to take command of every scene he is in. The way he broods over everyone and analyzes the situation is incredibly engaging and you can tell that he has a strong familiarity with the area. That is not to say Cage does not display his full range of acting abilities here, as his emotional scenes are captivating. I never thought a movie could make me tear up about a man’s connection with a pig, but he pulled it off effortlessly with his performance. The chemistry between Cage and Alex Wolff is fantastic. The two really evolve as a pair and the transformation of their relationship is very believable and done incredibly well.

While the film has some slow moments, it is still able to engage the audience throughout its 90-minute runtime. The writing is fantastic and will deliver some very great twists that the audience will not see coming. Pig is a fantastic film, and anyone remotely interested should give it a try.

Grade: 88%

Verdict: Excellent

— Nathan

Some people mention too slow for them. This film is a modern tone poem (complete with appropriate sound track) about deep love and deep loss. It clocks in at only an hour and a half, and I've thought long and hard about it: I call the pacing methodical, not slow. There's an awful lot of information being conveyed here, and virtually none of it is blatant.

At one point, I thought the secondary characters could have used a little development. In retrospect, the answer is no. We actually were given everything we need to know about the deep loss of the father, and about the deep grief of the son in respect of the unnecessary loss of both his mother, and his father.

How that all plays into the empathy of the twice grief-stricken Robin (Nicolas Cage) is just brilliant. This might be the pinnacle of Cage's career.

This is the kind of cinema that I love, ranking right up there with the best the world has to offer, and I'm so surprised to see it coming out of the USA.

— badelf