Comments on: I’ll Explain Why the Movie Pig Will Change Your Life

By: Taylor Holmes

Taylor Holmes — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 18:50:12 +0000

In reply to Robin.

Hey there @Robin –
I receive all of these criticisms that you point out whole heartedly. I hear you and get it. One thing you have to know about this blog is 1) it’s a money losing opportunity – vast quantities of money, just poured out on the street 2) I write these posts usually in an impassioned flourish with zero forethought 3) While TECHNICALLY edited, (CY, thanks!) these posts aren’t EDITED to the level you are talking about here. Which should come, like, in more an ARCHITECTURAL form, from like an earthquake proofing standpoint. Which is sort of what you are talking about here. And if I were to write this again? I’d do it totally and completely differently. And maybe it would go something like this:

“I am a complete and utter food-noob. I have eaten many things. I have experienced foods the world over. And yet? There is no more ignorant individual on the planet when it comes to culinary experiences, alcohol-ary experiences, delicac-ary experiences… and that is IN SPITE of my global travel and opportunities to learn many of these things. I have, in fact, learned nothing.”

Because, while I have seen things. I have tried things. I have experienced things… it’s like water off a duck’s back for me. Sure – I have had a 12 course Japanese meal in a swanky restaurant in Marin County… 100% of the food was lost on me. The chef? He left an impression. That was amazing. The food? Nope. None of it. Coffee ritual in Ethiopia? Couldn’t tell you how the coffee was made, or the details of its flavor. But the people and the experience? Sure.

Which is why Pig was such a cool revelation to my clueless self. I should have connected those dots entirely differently. And as you point out, it doesn’t add up at all. Comes off upside down actually. So yes, if you’d like a job – wherein you pay me money (so I can break even) to architecturally review my posts before I post them? You are HIRED. (Literally that is how CY was enlisted… she did what you did… and I called her bluff! hahaha.) So sure, come on board to the great space coaster… it’s fun! But yeah, you are right. Definitely. And well articulated as well.

(Speaking of which, please tell me you are watching Bear.)

By: Robin

Robin — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 18:31:51 +0000

It pleases me to see someone get so excited about a small film like this today, but a couple of things rubbed me the wrong way in this review. While you exhibit a deep awareness of certain aspects of life that too many people fail to achieve, there are other aspects you come across as very new to. I admire the way you encourage the reader to find their purpose, passion, or what really matters in their own life regardless of how small or mundane it might be. However, the food scene commentary translated as very inexperienced, and undercut your overall message too early, potentially turning off some readers before getting to the good stuff. It’s a little gauche to profess how you’ve circled the globe numerous times in order to proclaim how relatively crazy Portland’s food community is. But you also immediately discredit that experience to a degree by admitting that you had only just recently tried an old fashioned for the first time, which is, as the name suggests, one of the world’s oldest cocktails. Before that, though, is when you teed up this otherwise unnecessary level of scrutiny that I—undoubtedly true of others as well—allowed myself to be distracted by, which was your lack of familiarity with truffles (i.e. “which, apparently, are something of an expensive delicacy”). At least you point out that US truffles are primarily sourced from Oregon, but if you were so familiar with the Portland food scene, as well as global cuisine, you should have been painfully aware of this worldwide delicacy. It sort of belabored a point that was, well, beside the point, and took away from your broader take away. In a way, it was ironically similar to how a viewer might get lost in the red herring that is the John Wick parallel, which you commendably warned against.

By: sqL_handLe

sqL_handLe — Thu, 25 Aug 2022 09:29:31 +0000

Very good flick, very good article. One point of clarification. When Amir tells his father Darius about the man in the woods with the truffle pig, Rob, he isn’t telling Darius about Robin Feld (even if Darius at that point pieces together the identity). Amir doesn’t learn Rob’s full name till later, after the encounter with Edgar.
Maybe Darius stole “Robin Feld’s truffle pig.” Or maybe Darius stole the pig from Amir’s contact in the woods, without whose truffles Amir probably wouldn’t last in the industry Darius wants him out of extremely badly. The discussion between Robin and Darius about Amir, and the offer of $25,000 “for the pig” and to never see Robin again makes me think that even if Darius knew from whom he was stealing a truffle pig, the intent was more about Amir than Robin Feld and also more about Amir than the truffle pig itself.

By: Nancy E Mescon

Nancy E Mescon — Fri, 13 Aug 2021 02:01:51 +0000

Well I watched Pig and your explanation was perfect. I was surprised that I wasn’t as moved by it. Perhaps because the outcome of the sweet Pig was not visually seen. Thank goodness! But I do understand the “it doesn’t matter” theory, which I finally figured out on a personal level years ago. I must admit though, my haha moment about this subject came from the film “Meatballs” with Bill Murray. His it doesn’t matter speech is a pure classic and made me realize that nothing really matters!

By: Lisa

Lisa — Sun, 25 Jul 2021 19:19:50 +0000

This movie is the antithesis of a revenge flick so I don’t see how that’s true.

By: Taylor Holmes

Taylor Holmes — Sun, 25 Jul 2021 15:03:48 +0000

In reply to Jo. Why do you say so? Because it's the inverse? The counterpoint?

By: Jo

Jo — Sat, 24 Jul 2021 16:49:33 +0000

The success of John Wick made this movie.

By: Taylor Holmes

Taylor Holmes — Fri, 23 Jul 2021 16:46:29 +0000

I definitely should have talked, at least a little bit, about the concept of grace in the face of a wrong. Grace! This entire movie is 100% about grace. Sort of. hahaha.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Fri, 23 Jul 2021 16:38:02 +0000

I loved this film because of exactly what you explained. It wasn’t a revenge flick at all. I mean how many people would cook a beautiful meal for a person who did something horrific to them? Not many I know. Which tells us something about Rob’s character. I also hated Amir in the beginning but as we learned about his life throughout the film, I softened on him. He wanted his father to see him. Rob couldn’t come to terms with Lori’s passing but at the end he was able to start by listening to the tape. It was a very satisfying ending despite the lack of revenge. Everyone should watch it!