Pillion Review

Pillion is a unique LGBTQIA+ movie for a few reasons. To begin, it’s thankfully free of bigots. The protagonist is gay, but he isn’t judged or treated with animosity. His parents (played by Lesley Sharp and Douglas Hodge) are especially supportive. All his mother wants is to see her son settle down with a nice boy before she loses her life to a fatal illness. She even sets him up on a date. The problem is that Harry Melling’s Colin isn’t interested in a vanilla relationship. He’s drawn to bad boy biker Ray (Alexander Skarsgård), with whom he hooks up in an alley. 

From this moment on, Pillion asserts that it’s not going to be a lighthearted rom-com, but an intriguing exploration of BDSM culture. It’s closer to Steven Shainberg’s Secretary than Fifty Shades of Grey. Before he knows it, Colin stumbles into a relationship with Ray, who has him cook, clean, and work around his schedule. When Ray wants to eat dinner in front of the TV, his dog sits next to him on the couch while Colin stands. When Ray wants to go to bed, so does Colin, although he has to sleep on the floor. Naturally, Ray is also the dominant one when it comes to sex. 

To some, this may sound like an abusive relationship. Colin has a hard time explaining the dynamic to his parents. His mother, in particular, believes that Ray is taking advantage of her son. Writer/director Harry Lighton presents a nuanced take on the BDSM lifestyle, however. Colin’s story is one of self-discovery. He knows that he’s gay, but it isn’t until Ray comes into his life that Colin realizes that he’s also a submissive. It’s a role that suits Colin’s introverted nature, and he’s unusually happy in it. To an extent, he even begins to come out of his shell, which is where his relationship with Ray gets contentious. 

While Colin is content, there’s still a part of him that wants more out of the relationship. Not much, but Colin requests one day off a month where he and Ray can behave like a quote-unquote “normal” pair. Ray is set in his ways, though, with little wiggle room. When Ray comes around to compromising with Colin, he acts as if the day off was his idea. Although there’s a connection between these two, communication isn’t their strong suit. Colin hesitates to speak up, and when he does, Ray is reluctant to listen. Through their relationship, we see that just because two people are into BDSM doesn’t necessarily mean they’re right for each other. 

With Melling starting his career as Dudley in the Harry Potter movies and Skarsgård breaking out as Eric on True Blood, both actors could’ve succumbed to typecasting. Yet, they continue to branch out from their most recognized roles, taking bolder choices. Pillion is one of them, in what’s also an exciting debut from Harry Lighton. His first feature might not be the most comfortable watch, but it’s supposed to be. Behind the rough sex is a surprisingly warm coming-of-age story about a young man learning what he wants out of a relationship. Others may not understand Colin’s needs, but if he can find happiness with someone who does, who are we to judge?