PAGE 18 • GO! MAGAZINE
ThursdAy, July 29, 2021 • ThE BullETIN
MOVIES & SHOWTIMES
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Set in Portland, ‘Pig’ spotlights Cage’s talent
BY MAKENZIE WHITTLE
The Bulletin
I
f you had any doubts as to Nicolas Cage’s
acting abilities and don’t think that this
man is a true national treasure (sorry),
let “Pig” lead you to the truth.
Beyond the wide-eyed, manic characters
found on pillow cases, shower curtains and
in memes, Cage showcases in this latest film
that he really does have the chops to pull in
some powerfully understated performances
— he just always understands the assign-
ment.
Directed by Michael Sarnoski and filmed
and set in Portland, “Pig” sees the moun-
tain-man-bearded and sturdy-framed Cage
as Rob, a former big-time Portland chef who
gave it all up after the death of his wife 15
years before for an off-the-grid life in the
woods. His quiet life of solitude is as mean-
dering and slow as the river that flows near
his rustic cabin.
Joining him in this adventure as a hermit
is his only companion, an auburn-colored
and adorable truffle pig. Together, they for-
age for the black gold of the forest floor and
sell them to dealer Amir (Alex Wolff), who
in turn sells them to Portland restaurants.
Amir is cocky, drives an outlandishly col-
ored Camaro, blaring classical music. He
is overly polished in a trendy suit with a
designer belt ready to prove everything to
anyone. Rob makes clear when Amir trades
supplies for his truffles that he is not inter-
ested in visitors into the world he’s created
for himself.
But the quiet life is uprooted when one
night when Rob is awakened by two intrud-
test
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Nicolas Cage performs in a scene from “Pig” (2021).
ers who steal his pig and leave him for dead.
When morning comes, Rob peels his
bloodied head off the floorboards and de-
termines to go to the city and, with Amir’s
begrudging help, find his beloved pig.
It may look at first glance that this is sim-
ply “John Wick” with a pig. After all, with
Cage’s modus operandi, the correlation
wouldn’t be much of a stretch. But instead,
we are given a story not driven by revenge
but by grief and loss. That’s not to say there
isn’t any violence, Rob gets his head kicked
in a couple of times, once he even volunteers
to be pummeled in exchange for informa-
tion.
Both he and Amir push aside their own
personal losses and grief and come together
to try and make this one thing right. And
their journey is touching.
That’s not to say that the movie is trying
to be super realistic. There are some big and
odd plot points that go against the more
subdued performances. Granted, there
may be a whole other side to Portland’s fine
restaurant scene than I know about, but I
have a good feeling that there’s no under-
ground restaurateur Fight Club happen-
ing underneath Pioneer Square, and that
the truffle ring isn’t as cutthroat as the film
More Information
“Pig”
92 minutes
rated r for language and some violence
makes it out to be.
The story by Vanessa Block and Michael
Sarnoski is pretty tight for a slow-burning
film, but it still feels like some important
information was left on the cutting room
floor.
It’s pretty to look at, though, with some
glorious shots of Portland in the fall and the
rain-soaked forests around it.
And there are solid performances all
around, including Adam Arkin (who’s al-
ways wonderful to see) as the uber-wealthy
restaurant dealer and Amir’s father, Darius,
but Cage’s quietly gruff and somberly gentle
Rob seals it.
Without Cage’s performance, the rest of
the film is lost to the woods.
e
Reporter: 541-383-0304, mwhittle@bendbulletin.com