Pig (2021) - A Feast for Arthouse Cinema Fans from the Pacific Northwest but a Tedious Affair for Neutral Spectators from Everywhere Else - 6/10 (25/04/22)

Nicolas Cage is one of my favourite American actors. Ironically, several of his most recent performances have received dreadful critical reviews while I happened to enjoy several of them, most notably Mandy, Color Out of Space and Willy's Wonderland. Pig on the other side has received excellent critical acclaim and is often described as a return to form or even comeback for Nicolas Cage but I find said movie to be slightly above average at best.

The movie revolves around Rob who is living as a recluse in a trailer in the wilderness of Oregon. His only contact to the outside world is through young businessman Amir. Rob has a pig that helps him finding truffles that he then sells to Amir. One fateful night, Rob gets assaulted by a group of gangsters who kidnap his beloved pig. Rob nurses himself back to health and then asks Amir to help him find his beloved pig. Amir initially looks down ob Rob, makes fun of him and doesn't take his quest seriously at all. However, Amir soon learns that Rob has an impressive past in Portland and that the kidnapping of the pig might actually be related to Amir's pitiless father.

This movie convinces on several levels. First of all, Nicolas Cage's acting style is authentic, charismatic and gripping from start to finish. The story line of the movie seems quite intriguing and leads to an ending that is rather philosophical than vengeful as some viewers might expect. The numerous different locations in Oregon ooze with atmosphere and portray the clash between bright and shady sides very well.

On the other side, this film isn't without its flaws. After a dynamic start, the movie loses much pace in the middle section and drags on for far too long. The film focuses on the protagonist revisiting his past as he goes to his old house, lectures a former colleague and reluctantly meets an old friend. The movie feels as if it were made up of several episodes that don't really connect while losing track of the main plot. The conclusion to the story feels anticlimactic. While the film's ending certainly walks off the beaten path, it also feels a little bit forced and made me roll my eyes with a sigh rather than impressing me with its twisted wit.

At the end of the day, there are numerous contemporary movies featuring Nicolas Cage that deserve as much or even more attention that Pig. This film here is interesting for fans of arthouse cinema from the Pacific Northwest. Neutral spectators will however come to the conclusion that this drama is only just above average and has almost as many flaws and strengths.