Pig (2021) Dir: Michael Sarnoski
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Writer and director Michael Sarnoski's feature film debut, from 2021, is a film that I've had my eye on since it came out. If anything, it looked like it had another peculiar Nicolas Cage performance - something that can be very entertaining in the right film. Of course, it didn't hurt my hopes for the film that, generally speaking, it has been pretty well reviewed.
The film was written beautifully, I felt. I found the dialogue engaging, the key characters intriguing, and the pacing on point. At times, it was a mesmerising film, at least in regards to its pacing and performances. It had a rhythm to it, that made it easy to watch and digest, whilst also maintaining a strong emotional presence.
For me, the narrative was a magnificent portrayal of loss, and the journey towards acceptance that follows it. It gave tremendous meaning to a seemingly trivial premise, and so much of its effectiveness came from those emotional themes, which punctuated every step of the story. I was not expecting to be hit so hard by a film about a stolen truffle pig, which, by the way, might just be the cutest animal actor ever.
It is my pleasure to say that, in my opinion, Nicolas Cage gave one of his all-time great performances, perhaps even his best, in this atypical starring role. He managed to balance his famous intensity, which has bordered on a self-parody at times, with quiet vulnerability and humanity. I can't recall ever enjoying the man's acting so much before this.
Alex Wolff is another who deserves heaps of credit directed towards him. The growth he was able to exhibit throughout the story was exemplary, and the emotional reaction he produced with some of his individual scenes and dialogue was superb. This was the best I've seen from Wolff so far, and certainly bodes well for his future roles.
Adam Arkin had a far less significant role than the two actors mentioned prior, yet he still left a significant impact - one more than worthy of mentioning. His cold and detached manner was so effective, particularly in his scenes with Wolff. It may not have been a significant performance, in terms of dialogue, but it was a very significant one, in terms of impact.
Overall, I had hoped to enjoy this strange little film, but I don't think I was expecting to like it this much. It was an emotive and surprisingly thrilling film, which kept me actively engaged in its plot and chstacters, right up until the end. I think I'd happily watch this one again soon, and I would imagine that most others would enjoy it quite a bit as well.
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