Welcome back to another “Four Eyes” review. We take this moment to share 2 opinions on a single geek topic.
Below both Justin and Jenny will each dive into what they thought about Nicolas Cage’s movie Pig. Join us for an interesting recap.
Let us know your thoughts in the comments or on social media using #foureyesreview
MOVIE: Pig
STARRING: Nicolas Cage, Alex Wolff, Adam Arkin
RELEASE DATE: July 16th, 2021
WHERE TO WATCH (as of September 2021): Theaters / VOD Rental on Amazon Prime - slatted for streaming later on Hulu
FROM JUSTIN POMERVILLE:
The last time I talked about Nicolas Cage, it was about how I was not a fan of Willy’s Wonderland and if you are interested in the reasons, please go check out the Four Eyes Review.
This time, I’m here to talk about his latest feature from Neon, Pig.
Directed by Michael Snaroski in what seems to be his first big feature film, Pig is the story of a master chef, Rob (Nicolas Cage), living in the seclusion of the woods with his truffle sniffing pig. One night, men break into Rob’s cabin and take the pig. Rob now must go back into civilization with the reluctant help of Amir, played by Alex Wolff (Hereditary, Jumanji films).
From the trailer, this film felt like it would be an intense action style flick that follows a similar plot like John Wick. On the surface, that is sort of true but his film is so much deeper and meaningful than that. Throughout the hour and a half runtime, you are taken on an emotional journey where Cage hones in on his more serious acting techniques. There is no over-the-top theatrics or crazy Nic Cage moments that people gif into oblivion.
This is just a story about loss and holding onto the things we love before they're gone. Learning to be happy with yourself and with what you do. Knowing that you are living to your full potential without sacrificing to make everyone else happy.
This film is an emotional journey and I’m not afraid to admit that I cried when it finished. We are so used to Cage being attached to so many insane films over the years, that we forget how much of an amazing actor he really is. I hope that down the road, he does more projects like these. I highly recommend you see this film if you can.
Nicolas Cage as Rob in Pig
FROM JENNY ROBINSON:
I can safely say that amongst friends, everyone knows I am not the biggest Nick Cage fan. Don’t get me wrong, I think he’s a tremendously talented actor but his choice in roles sometimes leaves me less than excited. He seems to thrive in the SUPER strange and eclectic movies (e.g. Color Out of Space, Mandy, Willy’s Wonderland), yet I enjoy the more direct characters (e.g. Raising Arizona or Leaving Las Vegas). I am not sure where Pig lands in those black and white categories. It may need to be placed within those vast shades of grey that fall in-between.
As you may have guessed, I did not rush out to see Pig. “Why do I need to see John Wick but with Nicolas Cage and a Pig instead of Keanu and a puppy?” is what went through my mind. It takes a lot to motivate me to jump for Cage and after what felt like a million messages telling me I had to watch this, I finally did.
It was way better than I anticipated. The reason is that instead of a violent crime movie the trailers had me believe, it was more just a sad accumulation of a mysterious man’s life and his beloved pig. The violence almost feels out of place in spots where the determination of the character was a better fit throughout.
Nicolas Cage has some top notch emotional scenes throughout the movie. Some moments had me (as the audience) relating intensely to his despair. It’s a very sad story about rejection and forgiving ones self even if ultimately leading to tragic heartache. The only happy ending this story left me with was similar to ripping the bandaid off giving a potential chance to heal. This applies for all parties involved.
That being said, this movie was weird but Cage is weird.
I also feel that Alex Wolff steals the show. His character Amir is dramatically more relatable and empathetic than Cage’s Robin Feld. Following Amir’s struggle for respect (in his fathers eyes) brought such a secondary layer to the movie. Adam Arkin’s portrayal of Amir’s father Darius also just doubles down on the emotional and unexpected reaction of what deceptively appears to be cookie-cutter characters yet are much more complex.
So in summary, I give this a thumbs up. It’s not your average Nicolas Cage film. It’s emotional and way more than just about a pig.
Rob played by Nicolas Cage and Amir played by Alex Wolff