Pig
NEONThe magic of Pig is subverted expectations. Considering the reputation of its lead and the similarities to John Wick, leaping to conclusions can be expected. But John Wick it is not. Pig is its own animal – no pun intended – and quietly pushes its protagonist into some unusual corners while often resolving its conflicts in surprising ways.
At first glance, the plot seems more than familiar: reclusive and emotionally bruised Rob (Nicolas Cage) lives in the woods and keeps to himself. The only thing he cares about is his beloved truffle pig. When he is attacked and she is stolen away from him, he goes in search of her. As he visits former friends and colleagues, it becomes clear that he has a formidable reputation, striking awe, fear and intimidation in them.
He asks each of them the same simple question: “Where is my pig?”
Considering that the promotional photos feature a dour and bloodied Cage, it’s clear that some punches are thrown. They call to mind similar images of the actor in Mandy or Willy’s Wonderland, only this time all of the violence isn’t for the sake of revenge or survival, but over a farm animal. On a certain level, a plot line like this seems absurd but proves to be anything but. Pig is grounded in a stark and sometimes unforgiving reality, often reflecting Rob’s determination and unorthodox perspective on life. It remains unsaid during the film’s runtime but is cleverly summarised by its tagline: “We don’t get a lot of things to really care about.”
The film also captures Rob’s rapidly evolving relationship with the younger, status-obsessed Amir (Alex Wolff), who sells his truffles to high-end restaurants in Portland. The pair are painfully mismatched but dependent on one another, leading to clashes and stony silences as they barge into various establishments and gather information. Wolff offers some of his most versatile and effective work here, capturing Amir in a variety of risky situations as he begins to reassess his life, relationships and motivations. Likewise, Cage proves he can be just as compelling with a “less is more” approach, recalling his subtler work in Adaptation and Joe. It is some of the strongest work he has done onscreen in the past twenty years and shouldn’t be missed.
As far as shortcomings go: in some ways, Pig is masquerading as an entirely different package, and upon opening it there will be many who are disappointed. Considering that it is a Nicolas Cage film and there are echos of the John Wick franchise within the plot, some might assume it’s a film driven by the “what” – the missing pig – and the “how” – the violence perpetuated to get her back. Pig isn’t interested in either of those things. It is interested in the “why,” proving to be more of a character study than an action film. The story beats are slowly meted out and the pacing requires full attention and some patience, but the payoffs prove to be the strongest and most unexpected moments onscreen.
Without giving too much away, Rob has an unusual way of solving problems, often deviating from what is expected from a typical Cage performance and typical storytelling conventions altogether. Pig could be interpreted as a fable or a philosophical exercise about the ephemeral nature of life, as well as what is worth fighting for, holding on to, letting go and ultimately healing from. It doesn’t offer any easy answers, but will leave plenty to think about upon filing out of the theater. A pig might not be everyone’s reason for living, but it may leave some questioning who or what they couldn’t bear to lose.