Disco Pigs

There's a large psychiatric literature on the "twinning effect," which is often a beautiful thing, but in its pathologic manifestation shows up as what's called "symbiotic psychosis." In plain language, although not biological twins, the two main characters here grew up so closely intertwined that their private world disallowed the intrusion of mundane reality. "Private language" is often a characteristic of this clinical syndrome, and in the movie the heavy Cork dialect accentuated (at least for non-Irish) the barrier between the characters and the viewer. Does anyone remember Melanie's song, "We were so close, there was no room/ We bled inside each other's wounds"? Quite apropos. Also, I felt reflections of "David & Lisa," but updated and sort of run in reverse. As with much Irish literature, one has to be prepared for a view of humanity that never crawls out from under Original Sin, but nevertheless this is a serious work, very much worth watching, and deserved a better title.

Two 16-year-olds share a birthday, a love, a language of their own and a uniquely violent world view. Disco Pigs is an electric, disturbing and violent sprint through the unique world of Pig and Runt, two 17 year old kids who were born with a special, almost psychic affinity for one another.

It's a gentle and tender story about a pure, innocent love between two inseparable people who 'want for something different' out of life, lashing out at 'the sameness of it all'. When this invisible thread between Pig and Runt is stretched to breaking point, the inseparable are about to separate and which one will survive depends on which one can break free.

I'll stick my neck out here and say that Disco Pigs has a real Clockwork Orange feel about it - its use of a lyrical communication between our two leads - a combination of baby talk and Shakespeare monologue gave me that strong impression. The lead roles also exist in their own world, oblivious and unbound by the rules that govern us all.

Pig and Runt are two kids that really don't want to grow up, but despite their enforced isolation from common reality the pressures bear upon them to change. Pig wants the relationship to move to the 'next level', but innocent Runt either doesn't understand or doesn't want that right now. She seems more interested in experiencing other boys - finding a local bartender particularly intriguing. He is frustrated that their relationship, while deep, is not deeper, and she is perhaps seeing the blinkers removed from her eyes a bit, allowing the outside world a peek in.

I've made mention of the language that is used throughout the film used by Pig and Runt; the dialogue between the two is at times heart breakingly beautiful; witness Pig's love expressed in words as he talks to himself about the beautiful passion they would both share when they would make love for the first time. It nearly made this hardened critic cry.

Disco Pigs is nothing short of a masterpiece. It is unconventional, yes, but that is the stuff of greatness. The incredible soundtrack complements the visuals perfectly and is nearly a character in its own right. My only gripe is `REMOVE THE SUBTITLES!'

If this film gets a local Australian distribution, see it. It's that simple. 10 out of 10.

This film was absolutely spectacular. It was well acted, shot and wrote and the mix of innocence and anger were well represented.

This film was one that i had eagerly anticipated watching and i was not disappointed by it. At times it was painful to watch but was compelling all the same as it really drew the audience in. Cillian Murphy was excellent as the mentally challenged Pig as even in his madness you are drawn to him and his obvious similarity to a confused child. Elaine Cassidy was equally well cast as the introverted Runt.

I would recommend this film although admittedly it will not be to everyones tastes.

When I saw this movie for the first time, I liked it a lot, but was still on the fence of "greatness". Lots of good things happened but I wasn't sure if it added up to a full meal of a film.

HOW WRONG I WAS.

I still had questions and popped it back in the next day and I can honestly say that this is the most romantic and touching film I have seen. Ever.

Yes its horrible, ugly, violent, brutal and painful to watch at many points but here is why it hit me like wrecking ball.

The story sets the two leads as friends of the highest caliber, being so close that a sort of hazy psychic bond has formed (although I like to think they don't really seem to notice/care, it just is). They in actuality are two halves of the same person, Pig being the voice, strength, and ego of the person. Runt is the other half consisting of the thought, rational and id. When they become separated, the calmer thinker deals better with others than the brash speaker. I feel that these points are clearly brought forth in the liquor store scenes where Runt literally calls him off the poor clerk, yet until Pig went too far, she was smiling at and enjoying the brutal scene. When something this unifying clashes with puberty, sexuality, society, coming-of-age, and separation they act out only as a person can. Neither of them are acting crazy or differently. This is all they know.

Other comments are very wrong when they say that Runt has feelings for the bartender or her roommate. Her feelings of love and devotion to Pig are always there, NEVER wavering for a moment. But shes learned to cope with the world should it become an issue to them, where as Pig has not.

Were I to be in the same relationship with someone that was that deep, that intense, I know that I would not hesitate to do anything Pig did. I dont believe in violence in any way shape or form either, I just know that what they have isn't temporary of fleeting. Hes not fighting to hurt people, he is literally fighting for his life. This depth of this notion of love is shockingly brilliant and really impressed me.

The end is the only sort of ending that could happen. Their love has become something so passionate and uncontrollable that it cant work in our world. No one would understand.

Disco Pigs has a wonderful beginning. Our heroine narrates as she escapes from her mother's womb. Her narration is wonderfully bitter about coming into the dreaded world. The images are startlingly original; the babies large eyes comparable with the end of 2001: A Space Odyssey. We meet the baby's mother and father who, we're told, will never be as happy as they are at that moment. Then the baby is laid to rest. It starts to cry but stops when it sees a crying baby next to it. The neighbouring baby stops crying. The infants stare at each other, put their hands out and hold hands. I don't know how this scene was achieved. I can imagine recently born babies aren't easy to direct. What I do know is that this is a remarkably effective opening. One of the best and most original I've seen.

Unfortunately, the remainder of the film is not so great. It tries hard and its young director clearly adores the source material but it is this material that's the problem. There's very little new here. And the characters often let themselves down with strange shifts in their traits. For example, the bitter narration I've just spoken about is conducted by Sinead (Runt), the female lead. She's never as bitter again as she is at the beginning. It's a shame the movie focuses on her character at the start. It should have concentrated its efforts on Pig (played by the remarkable Cillian Murphy). His motivations are far more realised. Runt is a much shadier character and the audience never really understands her. Why does she not take to Pig? Why does she take to the bartender, is it his almost illiteracy or his red jumper? Is she gay? Does she fall in love with her roommate?

Comparisons to A Clockwork Orange or The Butcher Boy are unfair. It doesn't possess the soul of either of these. In fact, the violence here is far more sickening because its so gratuitous. Comparisons to Heavenly Creatures are more apt, but that movie was based on a true story, a trait this movie seems to think it has.

The acting from the leads especially Murphy is very solid, though he has a tendency to mumble. They both have a strong screen presence. The direction from Kirsten Sheridan is inconsistent. The beginning is fantastic and flashback scenes seeing the pair as children are equally remarkable but she chooses cliched editing for the disco scenes and leaves in a soliloquoy which betrays the films stage origins and leaves the audience desperately uncomfortable. Otherwise, she has plenty of potential.

Lastly, Disco Pigs was the first film I've seen that focuses for a large part on my native city. It was wonderful to see and I hope to see more. Sheridan though seems to have missed a few geography lessons. When Pig takes the bus from Cork, the film cuts to him on the bus and back to an establishing shot of a restaurant that's in Cork, he then hitchhikes to Donegal, which is about a five hour drive, then miraculously arrives back in Cork, all in the space of a day. Goofs aplenty.