Pig (Michael Sarnoski)

[Peng]

Summary:

A truffle hunter who lives alone in the Oregonian wilderness must return to his past in Portland in search of his beloved foraging pig after she is kidnapped.

[Peng]

"Nicholas Cage's John Wick, but make it culinary" seems like Michael Sarnoski's initial irresistible hook for a funding pitch to get this made. But instead of following through with an action film, he stealthily turns that concept into a meditative rumination on loss and memory instead. As much as I am enjoying the weird mix of outré surface, actual contemplative drama, and a building depth of feelings, I am still not sure how much I’m into it until Alex Wolff’s face in reaction to “I love her” unexpectedly moves me out of nowhere, and finally snaps the link between three key characters into focus. With Cage lending both his acting gravitas (reminding us he can still go subtle and raw when needed) and late-career image, the film manages an alchemy of many contradicting, unlikely elements that combine into one emotionally stirring, aching whole. 8/10

[Ezee E]

Figured more would have seen this.

Consider me on the "eh" side of this. Thematically, it's as rich as one would hope for, but I was just never that invested in these characters to ultimately care how they ended up.