Nicolas Cage is earning some of his best reviews in years for his role in Neon’s Pig (read my review here), which comes out in theaters tomorrow. Over the years, Cage has taken a little heat for his choice of parts but seems poised for a significant comeback. That said, don’t expect him to start turning up in colossal tentpole movies anytime soon. In the film, he plays a former celebrity chef named Rob, who’s left fame behind to live a hermit’s life in the woods with his truffle pig. Cage himself told Variety that he related to the performance, explaining:
“I do feel that I’ve gone into my own wilderness and that I’ve left the small town that is Hollywood,” adding, “I don’t know exactly why Rob left his stardom. It’s never fully explained, and I like that about the movie. But as for me, I don’t know if I’d want to go back. I don’t know if I’d want to go and make another Disney movie. It would be terrifying. It’s a whole different climate. There’s a lot of fear there.”
In the surprisingly revealing interview, Cage spoke about the limitations he felt as an actor doing blockbusters and addressed how Pig is truly a different kind of role for him after years of doing a much different acting style. He noted that he wanted to remind himself and others that he could apply himself to a much more “quiet and measured performance style.”
“I had gone on this tear, mission almost, to kind of break form with film performance and what was considered good performance by being naturalistic or photo-realistic or minimalistic.”
Indeed, Pig is Cage at his most natural in years, and I’m thrilled he’s getting the reviews he deserves. But, of course, the fun-loving, scenery-chewing Nicolas Cage likely isn’t going anywhere anytime soon, with him soon starring in the fantastic sounding, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, where he stars as a washed-up version of himself!
Pig opens in theaters tomorrow.
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