PIG

Another all-in Nicolas Cage performance goes a long way in Pig, but it’s not enough to elevate a clunkily constructed movie.

For better or worse, you can always count on Nicolas Cage to give it his whole in a role. In the case of Pig, that is a good thing, for if Cage hadn't portrayed the lead role of an alienated former chef in search of his abducted truffle pig, you might have dosed off long before the end credits roll.

The actor manages to suggest a fascinating backstory for his character, even if the screenplay doesn't provide a coherent narrative momentum to keep you engaged throughout, while every scene that is rather clumsily set up to further the plot - and Pig contains quite a few of those - somehow keeps you transfixed thanks to a Cage quirk or an unexpectedly touching glance.

His performance alone is not enough to erase all the flaws of the film, which reaches a peak in a third act confrontation that relies on an awful lot of suspension of disbelief, but it does keep you entertained in a picture that moves at a too pedestrian pace.

So if there was still any doubt that Nicolas Cage could elevate a movie beyond its subdued ambitions, Pig proves the reliable ham still has what it takes.

release: 2021

director: Michael Sarnoski

starring: Nicolas Cage, Alex Wolff, Adam Arkin, Cassandra Violet