Review: ‘Dead Pigs’ is a High Recommend for Anyone Who Likes Smart, Tongue-in-Cheek Humor and Satire

“Dead Pigs” is the 2018 Chinese family drama/comedy, written and directed by Cathy Yan. The film opens by illustrating its unique world in vibrant neon colors accompanied by hilarious antics. This sets the tone for a film that remains absolutely insane throughout its run-time. The movie is an extremely entertaining ride and deserves more recognition. This is the film that started Cathy Yan’s career with a bang.

The strength of “Dead Pigs” is its wide array of characters. First we have Candy, who is a hard-working and caring woman who is stubborn in her principles. Then we have Wang Zhen, a shy and unconfident young adult who toils without complaint to support his family. The film also introduces Xia Xia, a rich girl with spunk who values kindness and ethics in others. It rounds this out with Wang Zhen’s father, a lovable oaf who means well despite his foolish blunders and Sean Landry, who is an awkward fish out of water who doesn’t necessarily realize he’s out of water.

A Colorful Cast of Characters

The film bounces from character to character in scenes that are short and to the point. Because of this, each segment has a clear beginning, middle, and end and often finishes with a bit of a cliff hanger to keep the viewer engaged. Never is the viewer confused or disoriented by the many stories happening in unison. It’s expert storytelling.

The colorful cast of characters is set against a neon color palette that makes every setting look stunning. In fact, the only time this movie uses dull or boring colors is when showing actual dead pigs. Bright colors and neon hues abound, “Dead Pigs” has a similar look to Nicholas Winding Refn’s “Drive” or Kar-Wai Wong’s “Chungking Express.”  The cinematographer, Federico Cesca, had worked on over 25 short films before “Dead Pigs.” Using their broad experience, Cesca was able to create a distinct look for the film. In addition, music video adjacent extra wide shots that display vast landscapes with diverse textures are a main staple in this film. The cinematography is an absolute asset during the film’s run-time.

Vivian Wu in a scene from “Dead Pigs.” Photo: courtesy of CAAMFest.

“Dead Pigs” is funny yet poignant in its depiction of truths in Chinese society, even through a satirical lens. The film recognizes how fantastical it is, ending the film in a sing-along moment. Highly recommended to anyone who likes smart, tongue-in-cheek humor, this is a fantastic film with wide appeal.

“Dead Pigs” is available to watch or rent from most streaming services.