What might have been a typical, one-note revenge movie actually becomes a bleakly atmospheric, oddly touching, surprisingly perceptive drama, with a grizzled, powerhouse performance by Cage. The feature directing debut of Michael Sarnoski, Pig begins deceptively, setting up what we expect will be a familiar story: Robin is shown hunting truffles, cooking and baking, and dealing with the flashy, acerbic Amir. It seems to have much in common with two other very good Cage movies, Joe and Mandy. At first it doesn't make sense that Amir would help Robin, but the more details come out, the more we realize how much Amir respects him, and it all comes together. Wolff gives a fine performance too.

The theft of the pig (who doesn't have a name and is only referred to as "my pig") is a genuinely shocking moment, and then the movie deepens in unexpected ways. It takes place largely within an elite, high-class restaurant industry, and even the smallest characters emerge in potent ways. Robin acts almost as a mirror image to others, revealing their true selves, uncovering whether a person is shallow or crooked. In a way, Pig is really about cutting through the glitz and discovering what really matters. The simple, surprising, and powerful denouement is one of Cage's great movie moments.