PIGGY ** USA 2019 Dir: Dixie Gers. 22 mins
Dixie Gers, who played the title role in the 2016 remake of CRAZY FAT ETHEL, wrote, produced, directed and starred in this Louisville-shot take on the “woman scorned” theme. She plays the plus-sized barmaid of a grubby looking Kentucky dive where her job routinely entails wiping off “piggy” themed insults from bathroom mirrors. Lamenting a lifetime of fat shaming and assholes with “small dick syndrome” to her sympathetic co-worker (Sarah Ramsey), she finds some solace when a customer asks her out. Victor (Cameron Scott) insists he’s sincere and doesn’t have an issue with her weight, and they enjoy a pleasant evening watching POST MORTEM, AMERICA 2021 (a movie written and directed by Scott himself that no one would ever choose for first date viewing). Alas, Gers faces an inevitable humiliation that results in the need for revenge. While it’s refreshing (and all too rare) to have any kind of horror movie in which the leading lady differs from the norm of interchangeable perfect-bodied early twentysomethings and GAP models, this is crudely made and plodding. Even at this length, it gets bogged down in pace-killing scenes of characters texting each other, and the dialogue scenes never feel naturalistic. The bloody finale delivers an entirely predictable punchline with a disappointing lack of wit and panache.
Review by Steven West
PIGGY is available to buy on DVD here:
https://headlesscatproductions.bigcartel.com/product/piggy-dvd-pre-order