If you're a Danny Glover fan, find yourself a copy of the indie drama Mr. Pig and treat yourself to one of his finest performances. If you only think of him as Sergeant Murtaugh in the Lethal Weapon series, you owe it to his talent to watch this movie. You'll probably be shocked it's the same actor.

Those of us who do like him will find it a little hard to watch, since we have to see him playing a very old man at death's door. He's in very poor health and spends most of the movie hooked up to an oxygen tank. But why suffer through that image of who we still think of as a virile man? Because in this sweet, small story, he has a best friend. He loves his friend and wants to make sure he'll be taken care of in the years to come. His friend is a pig. Danny can't bear the thought of the pig getting slaughtered or mistreated, so he takes a road trip with his daughter, Maya Rudolph to find the pig a good home.

Danny and Maya have a strained relationship, so this isn't strictly a "we love animals" movie. It's an internal drama about getting all your affairs in order at the end and prioritizing the ones you love. At times hard to watch, it radiates love in every scene to make it all worthwhile.

Mr. Pig is a road movie about an old man called Ambrose (played by Danny Glover) and his friend Howard the pig. Ambrose is not well. In fact he is dying. Last thing on his agenda seems to be the task to deliver Howard to someone he trusts who will take good care of him.

This premise appealed to me quite a bit. A tale about a dying man spending his last hours with a good friend has feelgood written all over it. And I can't resist feelgood films. However Diego Luna (who you might know from Star Wars: Rogue where he plays as Cassian Andor) doesn't deliver on this. Or at least not the extent I had hoped. Biggest problem is that while most of the acting is done competently it is far from memorable or impressive. Not enough is happening on a dramatic level to make me feel or care for the characters. I did care about the pig though. He easily tops every human character in the film acting wise. He is the only one to be expressing real emotions at some pivotal moments, Maya Rudolph barely has any chemistry with Danny Glover and for the most part she is rather annoying than compelling. If she would have not been in this film it would not have mattered a single thing. To me this is quite astonishing since you would think much more would be happening between a father and daughter in the father's last moments. Especially since it is made clear that he wasn't a particularly good father and never around when he needed her. I had expected some fireworks or at least some interesting dynamics. None of that. I guess there was something of a reveal that perhaps could explain Ambrose being so very passive. Although I think Luna should us have given us more on Ambrose and how he was before we get to meet him. Maybe then I would have been more invested. But like I said I only cared about Howard and what would happen to him.

I think Diego Luna has duped Howard into thinking he was going to be a part of something special instead of this generic film. Not bad but not good by any means. I hope this film will give Howard the exposure he needs to be noticed for better productions. He truly deserves it.

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I had Mr. Pig saved on my Netflix list for a long time and finally finished watching it. I thought the film was very good as it touches upon family relationships, animal cruelty, and our unconditional desire to help others.

Danny Glover plays Ambrose, an ailing father who is losing his farm and goes on a journey to Mexico to sell his prized pig, Howard. Midway on his journey, his health beings to take a toll and his daughter Eunice (Maya Rudolph) joins him on his trip. What I liked so much about the film was how simple it was but yet examines so many aspects of human emotion.

You first see how much love Ambrose has for his pig Howard. On the trip, Ambrose regularly stops to feed and bathe Howard, even casually talking to him. Once Howard gets to his friend, Payo's farm, he discovers the horrid living conditions of the pigs. The pigs live in cramped cages and are regularly fed antibiotics. Ambrose becomes upset at the living conditions and Payo says that is how pig farming is done now. Discovering that this would be the life for Howard, Ambrose quickly decides to find Howard a better home.

Eunice arrives to help her father sell his pig and return home. Once she arrives Ambrose's health begins to deteriorate which seems to draw the pair closer together. With Eunice's arrival, you see the complicated relationship between her and her father. Eunice cares so much for him even when at times he becomes stubborn and Ambrose expresses the things he regrets about her upbringing.

I found myself going through all kinds of emotions as I was watching Mr. Pig. I was feeling sorry for the pig, Howard. I felt worried about Ambrose. I even felt Eunice's frustrations as she was dealing with her dad. But more importantly, I really wanted to keep watching to see what would happen to them on their journey. I really recommend this movie if you need something to watch on Netflix as this movie has terrific acting and writing.