Direction: Michael Sarnoski
Country: USA
Debutant writer/director Michael Sarnoski’s drama-thriller, Pig, resuscitates Nicolas Cage and builds a consistently intriguing character that we strive to know more about.
Cage is Robin Feld, a reclusive, depressed truffle hunter who leaves the Oregon woodland, where he lives for 15 years, to go after his stolen truffle-finding pig in the city of Portland, his hometown. Once there, he seeks the help of his truffle buyer, Amir (Alex Wolff), who later realizes he was a known and respected personality in the city. Rob has his own ways, but they are weird ways. He learns that both he and his antagonist made distinct choices in life after painful losses.
Cleverly paced and emotionally affecting, Pig surprises in many ways. This is certainly not the typical revenge thriller that most folks expect, but it takes you through a dirty road where unpredictability and discomfort are constantly present. It then leads to redemption and emotional liberation, aspects that Cage conjures up extraordinarily well in his performance.
Some thrillers earn the epithet of ‘edge of your seat’ experiences, but with Pig it’s more like you are waiting patiently for Rob to resolve what needs to be fixed. Successful debut by Sarnoski.
