'Pig' Review: Not The Nicolas Cage Movie You're Expecting

All of the trailers and marketing for Pig (2021) have given the impression that this is another iteration of the John Wick series. Nicolas Cage’s pig is stolen, and on we go. Cage suits up and unleashes hell on those who dares touch his truffle sniffing buddy.

This would have been a great movie, but what we get instead is far better.

In Pig, Cage is Rob, a truffle hunter who lives off the grid somewhere in the deep woods of Oregon and supplies the precious fungus to Amir (Alex Wolff), a seller from the city. Rob’s prized truffle pig is violently stolen from him one night and for the first time in over a decade, he leaves his cabin determined to bring his friend home.

Pig is more a meditation on grief than revenge. The theme of loss is heavily present across all characters and is explored in a heartfelt manner that avoids cliches and over-dramatics (yes, this is still a Cage film).

In his feature film debut, director Michael Sarnoski is bold in his approach unapologetically using shaky-cam and light flares. Although food is front and centre in the story, Sarnoski doesn’t indulge in “food porn” images. Rather, he uses food and the art of cooking as vehicles to flesh out characters and build their back stories, which is perhaps why Pig works so well — Sarnoski uses dialogue sparingly and allows the audience to put the pieces together. Sarnoski also brings out a truly wonderful performance in Cage, a man not known for his subtlety. In perhaps one of his most subdued performances, Cage expertly shows layers of the man Rob is through quiet and sombre moments.

Cage’s gentle presence in the film is a reminder of what he is capable of as an actor. Too often is he lazily labelled as a bad actor and turned into a caricature of himself. Cage, like Keanu Reeves, has been able to maintain decades of success in Hollywood for a good reason. And not because of crazy eyes and hammy line delivery, rather Cage’s on-screen presence, no matter how heavy and loud at times, is rich with charisma.

Pig might not be the movie audiences are expecting, but after the year plus we’ve all had, it’s one that we deserve.