Disco Pigs

Rating:
Summary: Original and refreshing, if flawed
Review: "Disco Pigs" is the story of two Irish teenagers, Pig (Cillian Murphy) and Runt (Elaine Cassidy), who have been inseparable since birth. Born moments apart, they live next door to one another in Cork, speak their own language, live by their own rules, and generally do their best to ignore everyone else around them. So far, they have managed to keep the outside world from creeping into their sur-reality, in which they imagine searching for a palace where they will be king and queen someday.

But the real world closes in and threatens this when Runt is sent away to a vocational school, and Pig realizes his world is nothing without her. He tries to win Runt back and is lost when it seems Runt may not feel as strongly as he does.

Cillian Murphy is nothing short of extraordinary as Pig, teetering on the line between sanity and madness as he struggles to hold on to the world he and Runt have created, just as he tries to convince her to do the same. Murphy clearly knows the character well, having originated the role in its successful theatrical run, and it shows. The character practically jumps off the screen, he is so alive and present in each moment.

Elaine Cassidy seems less comfortable in the role of Runt. She is a highly evocative actor, capable of registering a spectrum of emotions in a single glance, but her performance here is opaque and unfocused at times. Murphy may get the fireworks as the volatile Pig, but Cassidy never registers Runt's emotional center.

This is director Kirsten Sheridan's first full-length film, and while it bodes well for her future, "Disco Pigs" is far from a perfect film, lagging at times and indulging itself in others. It is a fascinating character study in which a world of contrasts is created. The frenetic action of the Cork discos pitted against the calmness of the sea show how different Pig and Runt have become and how divergent their futures may be. But Sheridan almost tries to put too much symbolism and too many allusions in the film and doesn't give herself enough time to flesh those out, making the film seem muddled and rushed in places.

All in all, though, "Disco Pigs" is an original, though-provoking film.

Rating:
Summary: Better than Expected
Review: "Disco Pigs" is the story of two Irish teenagers, Pig (Cillian Murphy) and Runt (Elaine Cassidy), who have been inseparable since birth. Born moments apart, they live next door to one another in Cork, speak their own language, live by their own rules, and generally do their best to ignore everyone else around them. So far, they have managed to keep the outside world from creeping into their sur-reality, in which they imagine searching for a palace where they will be king and queen someday.

But the real world closes in and threatens this when Runt is sent away to a vocational school, and Pig realizes his world is nothing without her. He tries to win Runt back and is lost when it seems Runt may not feel as strongly as he does.

Cillian Murphy is nothing short of extraordinary as Pig, teetering on the line between sanity and madness as he struggles to hold on to the world he and Runt have created, just as he tries to convince her to do the same. Murphy clearly knows the character well, having originated the role in its successful theatrical run, and it shows. The character practically jumps off the screen, he is so alive and present in each moment.

Elaine Cassidy seems less comfortable in the role of Runt. She is a highly evocative actor, capable of registering a spectrum of emotions in a single glance, but her performance here is opaque and unfocused at times. Murphy may get the fireworks as the volatile Pig, but Cassidy never registers Runt's emotional center.

This is director Kirsten Sheridan's first full-length film, and while it bodes well for her future, "Disco Pigs" is far from a perfect film, lagging at times and indulging itself in others. It is a fascinating character study in which a world of contrasts is created. The frenetic action of the Cork discos pitted against the calmness of the sea show how different Pig and Runt have become and how divergent their futures may be. But Sheridan almost tries to put too much symbolism and too many allusions in the film and doesn't give herself enough time to flesh those out, making the film seem muddled and rushed in places.

All in all, though, "Disco Pigs" is an original, though-provoking film.

Rating:
Summary: Original and refreshing, if flawed
Review: "Disco Pigs" is the story of two Irish teenagers, Pig (Cillian Murphy) and Runt (Elaine Cassidy), who have been inseparable since birth. Born moments apart, they live next door to one another in Cork, speak their own language, live by their own rules, and generally do their best to ignore everyone else around them. So far, they have managed to keep the outside world from creeping into their sur-reality, in which they imagine searching for a palace where they will be king and queen someday.

But the real world closes in and threatens this when Runt is sent away to a vocational school, and Pig realizes his world is nothing without her. He tries to win Runt back and is lost when it seems Runt may not feel as strongly as he does.

Cillian Murphy is nothing short of extraordinary as Pig, teetering on the line between sanity and madness as he struggles to hold on to the world he and Runt have created, just as he tries to convince her to do the same. Murphy clearly knows the character well, having originated the role in its successful theatrical run, and it shows. The character practically jumps off the screen, he is so alive and present in each moment.

Elaine Cassidy seems less comfortable in the role of Runt. She is a highly evocative actor, capable of registering a spectrum of emotions in a single glance, but her performance here is opaque and unfocused at times. Murphy may get the fireworks as the volatile Pig, but Cassidy never registers Runt's emotional center.

This is director Kirsten Sheridan's first full-length film, and while it bodes well for her future, "Disco Pigs" is far from a perfect film, lagging at times and indulging itself in others. It is a fascinating character study in which a world of contrasts is created. The frenetic action of the Cork discos pitted against the calmness of the sea show how different Pig and Runt have become and how divergent their futures may be. But Sheridan almost tries to put too much symbolism and too many allusions in the film and doesn't give herself enough time to flesh those out, making the film seem muddled and rushed in places.

All in all, though, "Disco Pigs" is an original, though-provoking film.

Rating:
Summary: A real gem of a movie
Review: A unique blend of film genres--romance, coming-of-age, and tragedy. Its stage origins give it obvious depth, since it deals with so many heavy issues.

The first scene is a wonderful surreal foreshadowing of the entire film, with the narrative voice of Runt, still inside her mother, dreading her own inevitible expulsion into the real world. In the maternity ward, pondering her new situation, she encounters another new-born, Pig, who is to become her soul partner. The film then moves sensitively to the next parallel stage in life, the end of adolescence and entry into the compromised world of adulthood.

For the first seventeen years this "Romeo and Juliet" live an idyllic existence. They forge a bond of isolation to protect themselves from the world, a state that stunts their moral and spiritual growth to the extent that they lack all empathy for others around them. This is a revealing and tragic flaw, how their tenderness for each other is in such radical contrast with their contempt for the world around them, unable to even identify with the innocence in others.

To hold on, or let go? Though holding on can mean only death, since isolation is no longer a possibility. And so the choices are made.

The film provides a thoughtful vehicle for reflection on the workings of Western Romanicism, and its obsession with eternal love, void of personal growth. In the presence of Runt, Pig is always fixated on her, unaware and indifferent to all else. Runt, however, develops a (redeeming) capacity to begin taking in the world that surrounds her, and we see her growing discomfort with Pig's obsessive fixation. As they sit together in the disco, she looks beyond him, while Pig sees nothing but her.

There is much to this film, including the culture that surrounds and defines it. This is a gem in a sea of mediocrity.

Rating:
Summary: For a new director, this is startling work!
Review: A unique blend of film genres--romance, coming-of-age, and tragedy. Its stage origins give it obvious depth, since it deals with so many heavy issues.

The first scene is a wonderful surreal foreshadowing of the entire film, with the narrative voice of Runt, still inside her mother, dreading her own inevitible expulsion into the real world. In the maternity ward, pondering her new situation, she encounters another new-born, Pig, who is to become her soul partner. The film then moves sensitively to the next parallel stage in life, the end of adolescence and entry into the compromised world of adulthood.

For the first seventeen years this "Romeo and Juliet" live an idyllic existence. They forge a bond of isolation to protect themselves from the world, a state that stunts their moral and spiritual growth to the extent that they lack all empathy for others around them. This is a revealing and tragic flaw, how their tenderness for each other is in such radical contrast with their contempt for the world around them, unable to even identify with the innocence in others.

To hold on, or let go? Though holding on can mean only death, since isolation is no longer a possibility. And so the choices are made.

The film provides a thoughtful vehicle for reflection on the workings of Western Romanicism, and its obsession with eternal love, void of personal growth. In the presence of Runt, Pig is always fixated on her, unaware and indifferent to all else. Runt, however, develops a (redeeming) capacity to begin taking in the world that surrounds her, and we see her growing discomfort with Pig's obsessive fixation. As they sit together in the disco, she looks beyond him, while Pig sees nothing but her.

There is much to this film, including the culture that surrounds and defines it. This is a gem in a sea of mediocrity.

Rating:
Summary: Very real
Review: After watching this film, I was speachless. The realness behind Pig's passion. How much he loved Runt and how Runt was coming out of her shell and seeing the world beyond Pig....wanting to break free from his grip. Pig loved her so much, he couldn't live without her, but couldnt live with her being so unhappy...
This movie has a different feel to it. Both characters present themselves, their feelings and emotions in a way that peole can relate to. The end scene was very sad but it was like a dark cloud was lifted off of Runt. I watched this movie months ago and its tune still lingers in my mind.

Rating:
Summary: Love and obsession
Review: I decided to buy this after seeing Cillian Murphy in 28 Days Later and On the Edge and admiring his acting in both. I thought this film was amazing, engrossing and well-acted. The accents took a little getting used to, but once you descend into Pig and Runt's world, you begin to understand them. I knew something big had to happen at the end, and I wasn't disappointed. It's a wild ride.

Rating:
Summary: Better than Expected
Review: I watched this movie with no expectations, only knowing that it was about an obsessive relationship, and I was pleasantly surprised at how original and entertaining this very "independent" style film was. The characters, alienated teens in Cork, Ireland; were fascinating and well-acted, and the story well written.

As a Californian, the accents were very thick to my ears and the only real drawback was that subtitles weren't available on the DVD. This was only a minor sticking point as I was only happy to watch the movie again (and the accents did become more decipherable).

If you can appreciate dark, innovative, and not-so-hollywood films, this is one to check out.

Rating:
Summary: Lonely Praise.
Review: Immediately after watching Disco Pigs, I sat down at my computer and looked up the title...I noticed immediately that several of the reviews were very negative - one or two stars. This puzzled me to no end, as I had just spent 90 minutes watching a thoroughly engrossing film. And after reading the reviews, I'm still puzzled. I could not find a single justification for any of the arguments put forth.
The back cover makes a splendid correlation between the characters' world and Bjork lyrics. We drift and float through their reality, but somehow come out of it feeling as though we have experienced something quite visceral. Yes, the movie is far more abstract and poetic than your average Hollywood film. But it's a far cry from avant garde. There exists a defined (even tradtional) plot structure, and the audience never gets the feeling that anything about the movie is pretentious.
The heavy accents make a few lines of dialogue hard to discern, especially since Pig and Runt (the two main characters) have reverted so far into their world as to have invented new words and phrases (a la Clockwork Orange). Regardless of this fact, there was never a time when I was unsure what was going on - which says something about the directing in and of itself...Great foreign film, small time-commitment, and it's only a few dollars to rent. Do yourself a favor and stop by the video store tonight...

Rating:
Summary: Whos says literature and film can't be mixed?
Review: Kontra is right,

This is a very interesting film. As an Irishman, I don't think its a foreign fim and the secret language is perfectly understandable.

Whatyou have here is an Irish, literary take on Romeo and Juliet. The literary references are a nod at Dean Jonathan Swift's private language with Stella/Vanessa, a token hullo to finnegan wake and a final nod to Molly Bloom's soliloquy. So far so normal. Add in to this a clear grasp of the darker, violent side of the Irish soul and you have one of the most interesting and original and timeless things to come out of Ireland for ages. Yes, it was a play and that's obvious but there is modern French cinema in there too. Oh and Gavin Friday shows he can still do great stuff long after his Virgin Prunes days. (Still got that that little blue number, Gavin). This film is the business.

PS Scottish!!! No Way Cloth Ears!