11 Oct REVIEW – ‘Pig’ is an unassuming masterpiece

It’s been a strange and terrible year for many reasons. After the misery of 2020, we foolishly assumed this year had to be better. As someone who’s been in the Sydney lockdown for over 100 days, I can attest this year has been more akin to a terrible sequel; more of the same, yet somehow so much worse. But if you’d told me at the start of 2021 that one of my favourite films of the year would star Nicolas Cage and its narrative would centre on his relationship with a pig, I likely would have laughed in your face.

And yet here we are. A quietly poignant and strangely beautiful little gem that touched my heart like few other films this year, Pig is a deeply special wonder. Led by a stellar performance by Cage and an unexpectedly heartfelt narrative, it’s an unassuming masterpiece that’s easily amongst the very best films of 2021. Colour me surprised, but there is so much to love about this charming delight.

Cage plays Robin “Rob” fed, a scruffy recluse living alone deep in the woods of Oregon. Spending his days foraging for truffles with his beloved pig, Rob has turned his back on his past life for a simple, isolated existence. His only connection to the outside world arrives each week in the form of slick luxury goods salesman Amir (the ever-reliable Alex Wolff), who rolls up in a sports car to purchase the truffles while enduring stilted conversation with the curmudgeonly Rob.

Rob’s peaceful world is shattered one night when he awakens to discover his treasured pig is being kidnapped, leaving the woodsman beaten and bruised in the ensuing scuffle. Forced to leave the wilderness to find the culprits, Rob turns to Amir to help with the hunt for his pig. As the two journey into the seedy underbelly of Portland’s fine-dining world, they begin to form an unexpected connection that will ultimately change both their lives.

You’d be remiss in thinking Pig is Cage’s version of John Wick, filled with brutal retribution and violence against those who stole the only thing Rob cares for. Sure, co-writer-director Michael Sarnoski‘s screenplay is inherently rooted in vengeance, but this film couldn’t be further from the bloody riot Keanu Reeves has dished out three (and soon to be four) times. This is actually a quiet character study of a complex man whose haggard appearance and grumbly demeanour hide deep-seated pain that’s only amplified by the sudden disappearance of his cherished porcine companion.

In the best performance he’s delivered in years, Cage is astonishingly good in a turn that demands attention come awards season. It’s truly mesmerising to watch Cage slowly peel away the many layers of this richly complicated character. There’s so much to Rob bubbling beneath the surface and Cage deftly takes his time to unveil the soul of a broken man whose past is as painful as his present. While it’s often an understated performance, Sarnoski hands Cage several moments of rage and sorrow where his performance really takes off. It really is quite breathtaking to behold and it’s a pure joy to watch Cage remind audiences why he’s still one of the best in the business.

While this is undoubtedly a showcase for Cage to shine, Wolff consistently steals focus with an initially smarmy character we soon warm to. Amir has his own journey to undertake involving his fractured relationship with his father, Darius (a brief but impressive Adam Arkin), and there’s much more to this character than his sleek appearance. Rob and Armi begin the film almost as adversaries but their growing connection feeds off the palpable brotherly chemistry between Cage and Wolff that creates one of the most charming pairings of the season.

At its heart, Pig is simply a love story of a man and his pig. By comparison to films centred on the cliché relationship between humans and dogs, this is naturally slightly unusual. But Sarnoski succeeds in crafting his beautiful story of love and loss that’s as touching as it is devastating. It’s a gorgeous portrait of the connection that can be formed between man and beast, typified by one sweepingly pure statement from Robin that will instantly bring puddles of tears to your eyes.

With his directorial debut, Sarnoski announces the arrival of an immense new talent. Even with just 92 minutes of running time, Sarnoski takes his time to weave through his slow-burn style that keeps you consistently engaged on its empathetic protagonist. Sarnoski’s style is rather intoxicating by virtue of Pat Scola‘s intimate cinematography and Alexis Grapsas and Philip Klein’s powerfully sorrowful score. And he strikes gold with Cage at the helm in a quietly commanding performance you won’t easily forget. On paper, Pig sounds utterly absurd. In cinematic form, it’s one of the best films of the year.