Movie Review: Pig

What is it going to take for the masses to stop acting surprised when Nicolas Cage turns in a good performance in something? A viral YouTube compilation featuring his best dramatic scenes? People realizing that The Wicker Man isn't the only movie he's ever been in? Him getting "I WON A FUCKING OSCAR" tattooed on his forehead?

While I fully understand that Cage is known more these days for being a meme, it continues to blow my mind that many people-including self-proclaimed film buffs-aren't aware that the man has other gifts outside of being the industry standard for having screaming meltdowns on camera. The 57-year old Hollywood veteran has regularly displayed over the course of his career that he has the commitment, fearlessness and range as a performer that only the best of the best in the field posses. The brilliance of Cage is put to exceptional use in Pig-a slow, melancholic drama that see the notorious actor tapping into his underutilized quiet side.  

With a lesser actor leading the way, Pig would be a shaky character study from a first time filmmaker (Michael Sarnoski) that's overly reliant on its abundant ambiguity and the surreal weirdness of the world it builds. With Cage leading the charge as a former renowned Portland chef who has been living in an isolated cabin in the woods alone for 15 years following the death of his wife that is forced to revisit his past life in the city when his truffle pig is kidnapped, the hero's plight gains some real power. Not only does Cage carry around the silent weight of grief around him with total grace, he gives the character a brutal yet respectful honesty that shows off the compassionate man that sits underneath all of the pain and provides some thoughtful answers as to why this particular pig meant so much to him. If the rest of Pig was executed with the degree of depth and assurance that Cage brings to his performance, we'd be talking about an understated masterpiece instead of a minor somber drama that's completely carried by its immensely talented star.

Grade: B-