The big picture
- Nicolas Cage gives a vulnerable performance in
pork
showing his range as an actor. - The film explores themes of capitalism and the value of art, offering a critique of the food industry.
- Director Michael Sarnoski's debut film has led to more ambitious projects, proving that Cage's risk paid off.
NicholascageThe trajectory of his career is one of the most fascinating in the history of cinema. After breaking out in a series of films directed by his uncle, Francis Ford CoppolaCage became one of the most ambitious dramatic actors of his generation, even winning a Best Actor Oscar for his heartbreaking performance in Leaving Las Vegas. Cage spent many years starring in blockbuster action films like the stone i Face/Off, but the quality of his output began to decline after a series of disastrous projects that were widely derided. Although it was most closely associated with exaggerated moments of overacting, Cage gave a very intimate performance in the 2021 drama pork by the director Miquel Sarnoski
Perhaps Cage's most admirable trait is that he rarely fails to fully invest himself in the projects he appears in. Cage is never uninteresting on screen, but the 2010s didn't often afford him opportunities to prove himself as a great actor. With the exception of some supporting roles in bigger films like Kick-Ass i Snowden, much of his work at this point was in smaller films. Despite this, pork it showed that Cage was willing to take a chance on an up-and-coming filmmaker that other major players may have been more skeptical of working. Considering Sarnoski has stepped up to work on the highly anticipated horror prequel, A Quiet Place: First Dayit looks like Cage's gamble paid off.
pork
- Publication date
- July 16, 2021
- director
- Miquel Sarnoski
- Execution time
- 92
What is 'Pig' about?
pork focuses on a lone truffle hunter who exercises his office in isolation in the Oregon desert. Although Rob Feld (Cage) was once a member of Portland's high-society kitchen industry, he now lives alone in the company of a pig, who helps him hunt for truffles. These rare truffles are of great value to the young supplier, Amir (Alex Wolff), whose father, Darius (Adam Arkin) is involved with several high-end restaurants. While content to be alone, a group of enigmatic hunters kidnap the pig, leaving Rob without his most prized possession and best friend. This forces a reluctant Rob to return to town for the first time in years to find the pig, while also dealing with traumatic memories of his past.
It is somewhat ironic that he became known for over-the-top performances The Wicker Man i Ghost Rider, among others, because Cage is very soft and vulnerable pork. It becomes clear that Rob's relationship with the pig of the title is not purely one of financial convenience. He really enjoys spending time with a creature that is incapable of betraying him. Although the film eventually takes a more exciting direction once Rob begins to hunt down the assailants, the first segment of the film is an honest window into the daily reality of the characters' lives. The intimacy that Sarnoski established makes the eventual abduction of the pig all the more emotionally devastating.
pork expertly breaks down the economics of fine dining, which serves as an intelligent critique of capitalism. While there are multiple factors involved in Rob's decision to move away from society, his main motivation is that other chefs and restaurants in the area saw food as a commodity. They didn't put the care and personality into the meals that Rob considered so important. Where others look at the pig and see a tool that can help appease high-end customers, Rob sees something unique worth protecting. pork tragically points out that the lingering effects of capitalism and greed end up pulling everyone in, even those like Rob who don't want to participate.
'Pig' takes its premise seriously
Considering how many terrible direct-to-VOD action and thriller films Cage starred in over the past decade, it would have been easy to get it wrong. pork for another forgettable entry in his filmography. Despite this, Sarnoski plays the premise of pork straight, without any irony. The somewhat unusual nature of Rob's relationship with the pig is one of the film's strengths, as he is constantly ridiculed by the other characters for caring so much. Fortunately, Sarnoski never relies on convention, as the film's ending is particularly disturbing and bleak.
pork it is also a proof a dedication to the process can be dramatically satisfying. The film takes the time to show both Rob and Amir perfecting their meals, which signifies what a “great chef” does compared to a worker. While these are the kind of details that are often cut in favor of streamlining the narrative, Sarnoski chooses to immerse viewers in the unique side of the world the film is dedicated to. He makes the decision to depict cooking as an art form, which for Rob requires intense mental concentration.
“Pig” is a throwback to Nicolas Cage's early work
pork is not the only memorable Cage film of recent years, as he managed to play delightfully funny roles as himself in The unbearable weight of massive talent and Dracula in Renfield. It's great to see that he has a sense of humor about his reputation, though pork feels more in line with the critically acclaimed dramas that made Cage a sensation. The film's gritty, unsentimental attitude evokes comparison to the coming-of-age drama Birdie and the subversive satire of Hollywood adaptation These roles showed a quiet and contemplative side of Cage in which he plays more sensitive characters.
It's admirable that Cage was willing to take a chance on an unproven talent in Sarnoski, as it would have been much easier for him to work with a more established name. Given the unusual premise, pork may have struggled to find an audience without the novelty of Cage's involvement. Fortunately, it became a critically acclaimed debut for Sarnoski that has allowed him to move on to even more ambitious projects.
pork streaming on Hulu in the US
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