Running Time: 106 Minutes
Certificate: 18
Starring: Harry Melling, Alexander Skarsgård, Lesley Sharp, Douglas Hodge, Jake Shears, Mat Hill, Anthony Welsh
Adapted from Adam Mars Jones' short-story, Box Hill, there is one question that a few people will have about Pillion, and that is regarding what the title means. For those unaware (which admittedly included me), the word refers to a passenger on a motorbike who sits behind the driver. It is a title change that serves the story well, as writer/director Harry Lighton makes it clear who the central focus is for his feature debut.
The story opens during the festive season, as the introverted Colin (Harry Melling) performs in a pub as part of his dad's barbershop quartet. The aftermath involves a blind date with a local man, orchestrated by Colin's well-meaning parents, but there is no spark between this pair who share little in common. Instead, Colin's eye is caught by the impossibly handsome Ray (Alexander Skarsgård), a biker who leaves handwritten instructions for where they can meet-up the following evening.
As the pair take their dogs for a Christmas Day walk to meet outside Primark, the ingredients are there for a festive romance that will make your heart swoon. But, if anybody expected something akin to a Richard Curtis film, they will be promptly surprised when the duo venture down an alley, and audiences witness the man who formerly played Dudley Dursley kneeling down to perform oral sex.
Even with this film being edited down from a raunchier version that was shown at the Cannes Film Festival, Lighton's feature certainly earns its 18-rating. As these characters enter into a BDSM relationship, there are plenty of sex scenes captured in semen-dripping, lubricant-using, bent-over-a-picnic-bench fashion. But, while the film casts an unfiltered light upon this pairing, it has far more on its mind than just sex, as it offers a tenderness at the heart of this story.
Anchoring this tale are a magnificent pairing in the forms of Harry Melling and Alexander Skarsgård. In the role of Colin, Melling brings heart as he captures an anxious young man who begins stepping outside of his comfort zone. He captures the character's disbelief that such an attractive man wants to be with him, along with the rising courage that comes from these newfound experiences, and questions regarding if this first love is truly what he wants.
Entrancing the traffic warden is Ray, an enigmatic biker who acts with quiet confidence while guarding his emotions. Alexander Skarsgård wonderfully brings alive this mysterious man, conveying the dominant desires along with the heart lurking beneath this guarded persona. The more time is spent with Ray, one questions whether this guise is who he is, or if it actually is a shield against a fear of intimacy. Regardless of the truth, it is easy to see what enthralls Colin so much that he willingly sleeps on the floor when told to.
As this romance unfolds, it offers a look at a subculture which does not receive much big-screen coverage. The key to it all is consent between the pairing, something that allows Colin to understand where his personal boundaries lie, and question whether he misses something with more intimacy involved. It is also worth noting that this film is regularly funny, with a meeting the parents scene being a particular highlight. One of 2025's great surprises, Pillion is an excellent sub-dom rom-com that will rev up your engines.
Pillion is available in UK Cinemas from 28th November
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