WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Pig, now in theaters.
Nicolas Cage's lengthy filmography is certainly varied, but some movie have drawn more critical appreciation than others. In his latest film, Pig, he plays Robin "Rob" Feld, a former chef turned truffle forager. After his truffle pig is kidnapped, he goes on a journey to reclaim her, aided by his truffle buyer, Amir (Alex Wolff). While the plot outline sounds a lot like pig-Taken, that couldn't be further from its tone and themes, as it it deals with loss, family and legacy.
Rob is a recluse in the woods, with his only contact to the outside world being Amir, who keeps him stocked in basic necessities in exchange for premium truffles. Rob headed to the woods after the death of his wife, and since then, his only companion is his truffle pig. Meanwhile, Amir has no idea that the man he has a business partnership with was formerly the most famous and respected chef in Portland. As the two journey together to retrieve the stolen pig, Amir and the audience learn more about Rob's legacy.
For instance, Rob uses his name in order to gain access to an underground fight league, and the premise of the league is that restaurant staff pay in order to beat up named members of the industry. Rob makes a sizable amount of money thanks to his name, and he takes an absolute beating in exchange. This act funds his journey to find his pig, and what is fascinating is that Rob has been out of the industry for 15 years, yet his name still holds value because of his legacy.
His legacy is further realized when he and Amir go to an upscale restaurant for lunch while Rob is still covered in blood. He looks a mess, yet when the chef -- a former employee of R0b -- realizes who he is, Rob's appearance does nothing to undervalue his credibility.
Here, Rob reminds the chef, Derrick, that his original dream was to open an English-style pub, which is the exact opposite style of his current restaurant. Rob then forces Derrick to confront his legacy and how it will run contrary to his original dream and sense of identity.
This theme of legacy comes back when Rob learns Amir's father, Darius (Adam Arkin), stole his pig after Amir told Darius about the source of his truffle success, but it's taken on in a different way, as it loosely addresses the real life legacy of Cage, who since has developed a reputation as an exaggerated action hero. Rob requests Amir's help, as he's tasked with collecting various things for him and encourages him to trade on the Feld name in order to do so. It has all the elements of a gearing up sequence in an action film, but after collecting the supplies, Pig heads in a different direction.
Instead of a violence fueled showdown, Rob cooks a meal for Darius, the same meal Darius shared with his wife -- who is in a coma -- on what was considered the happiness night of their relationship. Rob leans into his legacy as a renowned chef to achieve his goal, which comes as a surprise to the audience based on the actor's cinematic legacy.
Ultimately, Rob's journey ends in tragedy. While his dinner works to break down Darius' resolve, Rob doesn't leave with his pig because she suffered fatal injuries. This leaves Rob to return to his cabin alone, yet his legacy continues on. This journey changed Amir's life and perspective, which only added to Rob's legacy of greatness.
However, legacy isn't companionship or much comfort to the alone Rob. Legacy doesn't bring his wife or pig back, and it doesn't inspire him to return to the world he had abandoned. Legacy can be cold and empty for the person it is supposed to represent, despite its ability to serve them indefinitely. The complicated nature of legacy is well explored in Pig, which leaves the audience contemplating their own legacy and place in the world.