Pig

April. 16,2011      NR
Rating:
5.8
Trailer Synopsis Cast

A man wakes up alone in the middle of the desert with a black hood on his head and his hands tied behind his back. At death's door, he is discovered by a woman living alone in the desert and is nursed back to health. Upon regaining consciousness, the man realizes he has amnesia, and has no idea who he is. His only clue, a piece of paper in his pocket with the name "Manny Elder" on it, sends him on a journey to Los Angeles to discover his past. But things and people are not what they seem and clues lead to something bigger and more unusual than the man could have ever imagined.

Rudolf Martin as  Man
Heather Ankeny as  Isabel
Keith Diamond as  Manny Elder
Ines Dali as  Anouk
Patrick Fabian as  Internist
Steve Tom as  Doctor
Leyna Weber as  Natalie
Deborah Dir as  Woman
Brian Lally as  Motel Clerk

Reviews

Actuakers
2011/04/16

One of my all time favorites.

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GazerRise
2011/04/17

Fantastic!

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Scarlet
2011/04/18

The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

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Billy Ollie
2011/04/19

Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

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lloyd1018
2011/04/20

Don't believe the hyped reviews here. This film is basically a poor man's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. For me the plot took far too long developing. The plot device of a man with amnesia is one of the great cinematic clichés. I felt this film didn't really take off until it was revealed that the protagonist was the subject of a memory blocking drug. By that time it was too late. Even then it was merely a repeat of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind imho. I thought the notion of our mystery man having changed for the good was the strongest idea in the movie. If only that had been the primary focus of the flick rather than spending two thirds of screen time milking the mystery then maybe this would be something special. The acting was good which meant this was a bit of a waste of talent from what I could see. It's easy to be critical and bloody hard to make a good movie. Just wish more time had been spent on the script in this case.

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curtis-lori
2011/04/21

This movie about a man who wakes up in the desert with no memory is a fascinating look into what part our memories play in who we are and who we perceive ourselves to be. Writer/Director Henry Barrial uses a mystery to take a fresh look at relationships, memory and consciousness. This film is much better viewed without to much knowledge of the plot, allowing your subconscious to follow the clues to the surprising ending. The movie is being billed as a science fiction thriller, which it is, but it's a thoughtful, psychological study rather than what passes for most box office Sci-Fi these days. You won't find gratuitous explosions here!Pig is a well crafted film, with care taken to make every scene relate to a greater whole. The desert and Los Angeles scenes really capture their location in a way that isn't often seen. I enjoyed seeing places I am familiar with but which rarely making into the movies. Finally, the acting is superb. Rudolph Martin does the heavy lifting of carrying the film with little dialogue and we care about his character from the beginning. All the actors are great in their roles and the chemistry between them is believable and compelling.

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Dave
2011/04/22

I just saw this film at the St. Louis Film Festival and I was frankly blown away. Maybe I wasn't expecting much, though the premise intrigued me, but I'd never heard of the film before nor any of the actors. The postcard listed some awards and I'm a sci-fi buff, so I gave it a shot. First, let me say, that this film isn't for everyone. If your idea of a great sci-fi film is "Planet of the Apes" or "Star Trek," then this film might not be for you. It's just not that kind of sci-fi. It's "indie" sci-fi, or as the producer said, "lo-fi" sci-fi. There's no space ships or talking apes in this film. However, if you're a fan of Nolan's "Memento," then run, don't walk to see it. I don't want to get flagged for spoiling the surprise, but just suffice to say that the film is a mystery with a big reveal at the end that you'll never, never guess. Before that point, I was glued. You're given a series of subtle clues, and then some weird stuff starts happening with the time-line, and you're just trying to fit all the pieces together. Yes, this movie will make you think, and work a bit, but not as much as "Memento." It's a really smart film that makes you think at the end, about a lot of things, not just about what happened. Like any good sci-fi, you think about humankind's place in the world, and what we're doing to potentially mess things up. This film also makes you think about identity, what makes us who and what we are. I'm going to have to see it again when it comes out on video. Until then, if it comes to a city near you, SEE IT!

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Milchman
2011/04/23

Saw this at the Sci-Fi London festival. Although a genre picture, it is one that is no way clichéd.I won't give away any more of the plot than is already available on this site, not just for the sake of spoilers, but also because the subtle way in which the plot is revealed (one heavy handed plot turn aside), is one of the main joys of this small gem of a film. It's a very low budget feature, but what it lacks in action and special effects, it more than makes up for in intrigue, tension, a good central concept, deft story telling and a towering central performance from Rudolph Martin. One or two aspects are ambiguous and require a small leap of faith, but this is in no way to the film's detriment. Recommended.

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