“Pillion” (2025) adapts Adam Mars-Jones’ 2020 novel, “Box Hill.” A shy man, Colin (Harry Melling), with a supportive family wins the lottery when Ray (Alexander Skarsgård), a hot biker chooses him to be his submissive. While he is astonished at his good fortune, it takes some adjusting to get used to being a sub, and he is not sure if he wants more out of their relationship. This delightful coming of age rom com has sexual situations, kink and some nudity, including a prosthetic penis, but is also not as risqué as it sounds. British writer and director Harry Lighton makes a confident feature debut that rejects falling into any tropes without becoming so unconventional that it becomes unwatchable or unrelatable. Instead, he makes a funny film that does not shy away from being uncomfortable and a bit of a romantic tease.
Pillion means the passenger behind a biker but originally meant little rug or cushion. In the gay bondage, discipline, dominance and submission and sadism and masochism (BDSM) world, (two) consenting adults may be the dominant (dom) and submissive (sub). The pillion is the sub. If you saw “Secretary” (2002), you have an idea of what you are in for, but the depiction of this kink is very different in terms of character development, narrative trajectory and relationship dynamics. Empowerment looks very countercultural here. It is a story about Colin’s first love. Talk about jumping into the deep end with no swimming lessons or floaties.
The twenty first century is weird. On one hand, mainstream society has accepted gay couples in ways that were unimaginable even until the first decade of the twenty-first century in most countries though there are earlier historical records of same sex marriages. On the other hand, when being gay was not mainstream, and there was nothing but negative public representation, there was also more freedom to not play it safe and experiment, which means exploring the furthest corners of desire since just being gay was already considered taboo. Colin is an awkward guy who sings in barbershop quartets and spends most of his free time with his family, who are so cute, but concerned because he is alone, quiet and not a go getter. He does not look like the type.
Colin and his family have a quaint, safe, heteronormative model in mind for his future significant other. His model is his parents’ marriage, which is perfect and cozy. They want him to be happy and are encouraging so it is not like “Weekend” (2011) and “All of Us Strangers” (2023) where his loved ones do not consider his romantic needs. He is so inexperienced that his parents, Peggy (Lesley Sharp) and Pete (Douglas Hodge), set him up on dates if he is lucky. This world is so casually accepting that the bikers on the edges of the community are noted in a thrilling, not a horrified, pearl clutching way or suspicious side eye. His day job is working as a beleaguered parking enforcement officer, which is riddled with verbal abuse in the parking garage, but the camaraderie among colleagues seems pleasant. Anyone can and does bully him because of his demeanor, not his sexuality, so it makes sense that his loved ones are protective.
Melling is the antonym to Skarsgård in every way, and he plays the protagonist without ever ceding ground to the Adonis-like, seasoned actor who is impossible to keep your eyes off and is a known scene stealer. Melling and Lighton craft a character who is easy to relate to. Who wouldn’t risk it all if Skarsgård suddenly took an interest in you! Melling’s face registers the “yes and” nature of this onscreen relationship even when he winces at the emotional or physical pain. His face lights up or softens at the idea that he gets to be so lucky as to have all his dreams come true. “Pillion” is a Christmas movie, and clearly Santa thought Colin was very good.
“Pillion” would not work if Skarsgård made his character seem entirely self-absorbed and cold while unfeelingly enjoying the fruits of Colin’s labor and body. On paper, Ray sounds like a nightmare as if they are cosplaying the worst hits of heteronormative relationships with Colin doing all the housework, and Ray making all the decisions. Ray knows the effect that he has on people, which gives him more leverage in setting the terms for what he wants: his way or the highway. However, Skarsgård plays Ray as if he works really hard to suppress his amusement at how wholesome Colin is. Ray is an ambiguous figure, and the story never reveals why he sets up his life to pretend as if he is indifferent and emotionless with Colin when he clearly likes him. In the first sex scene, Skarsgård’s face reflects concern and sensitivity to reflect that Ray is not just satiating his own pleasure without considering Colin. As the dom, he plays multiple roles, including teacher. His most important lesson is no one owns another person even when they are a couple. There is no entitlement. Still compared to others in the BDSM community, Ray is the strictest of them all and shows little to zero physical warmth in the way that the audience wants for Colin. Colin only gets to show physical affection when they are riding on Ray’s motorcycle together. Those biking montages!
Peggy is a relatable character because she is worried that Colin is in an abusive relationship. The tension in “Pillion” is whether Colin wants what Ray offers or is settling for less than what he wants from a relationship because Skarsgård plays Ray. There is a subconscious gender norm being superimposed on a same sex relationship because sub is associated with women. Colin’s assignments such as catering to Ray’s preferences and doing the housework reinforces his association with being the woman. Heteronormativity constantly hues towards the binary and gendered programming instead of imagining a new dynamic. It is understandable to see their dynamic as abusive. Real talk: if Colin was a heterosexual, cis woman, I would be screaming at Colin to dump Ray if Skarsgård was not in the equation. It is too close to Charles Manson if the dog gets better treatment than a person. Gender norm presumptions also make Colin seem more autonomous despite his inexperience. He is choosing to be submissive in every sphere of his life with Ray, which is not a behavior encouraged in men though men are naturally submissive to each other in most conventional male dominated organizations, especially the macho ones. It would be beneficial for heterosexual couples, especially women, to explore if they are making a similar calculus as Colin, and decide what makes it abuse versus consent when to the outside world, it may look different. Is it the fact that women are taught to be submissive, and some men are only thinking of themselves, not whether their partner is agreeing to being submissive?
“Pillion” very rigorously pushes back against these concerns and prioritizes Colin’s experience above everyone else, including Ray so these are questions for another movie to tackle. In Colin’s case, during his relationship, he learns what his dealbreakers are and what he wants. More importantly, he gets out there and starts living. Even though he is a sub, he overcomes his hesitation and reluctance to initiate first contact. Lighton’s greatest accomplishment is depicting a community with an insouciance instead of handwringing. It is a laugh out loud, heart breaking, soaring revelation of a movie. My square self was also concerned if Colin made lasting friendships in the biker community, but again, it is not that kind of movie. It is a disciplined movie that clings to the underdog who comes out on top.
