A deeply personal examination of love and loss, Pig is initially presented in a familiar format. It’s a revenge movie that is under two hours… a bit of a worn out idea, hey? It’s definitely the fault of Cage‘s inconsistent filmography and the trailer that lures us into this mindset. But this film is far from formulaic. Pig is crushing, oftentimes punishing, but all the more rewarding in it’s slow and honest pacing. The direction is utterly beautiful, making every grey scale and dirt coloured arena look incredible. The fact that this is Sarnoski‘s debut is outstanding. Cage and Wolff are at their best with their emotional depth. People have really forgotten their talents, and amongst the beautiful plunges of their characters, their chemistry is really something to witness. What’s left is a movie that is bold in its presentation. So much of this could fall into the other boring, revenge-centric, film romps if put in less capable hands. Many scenes here could turn into a vile, gratuitous blood bath, but no. The film never leans into this and every bit of the slow, dialogue-centric confrontations are amazing. I’m so happy this movie lured me in with false expectations because so much of this movie is a surprise. Honestly, this movie is one to go into blind and emotionally prepped. It’s easily the best movie of the year.
“Nine out of ten.”