Pillion is a Unique Love Story

Warner Bros. Pictures

3.5/5 stars

Queer cinema has always found much stimulation (both intellectual and physical) from the juxtaposition of the often surreal world of kink with the mundanity of straight society, and films like Weekend and Taxi zum Klo highlight the dichotomy between gay subcultures with ordinary life. Harry Lighton's new film Pillion revels in that dichotomy in powerful and often hilarious ways. The film asks a very important question: amongst all the dominance and submission of a 24/7 kink relationship, could or should there be room for a genuine connection?

Collin (Harry Melling) is a timid young man who is having some difficulty finding a partner. His every movement and word seem to be as awkward as humanly possible, but his mannerisms unexpectedly grab the attention of a ridiculously handsome biker named Ray (Alexander Skarsgård) and the two begin seeing each other. It isn't long before Collin becomes Ray's live-in submissive and is introduced to a BDSM subculture that seems to fit him perfectly. But things take a turn when he starts falling in love with the emotionally distant Ray.

The film has a lot of fun with its subject matter, displaying the intricacies of a dom/sub relationship as well as highlighting the surreal, often silly-looking aspects of kink subcultures. This is an arrangement that many people would find appalling (including Collin's parents, who are shown as completely supportive of Collin, but weren't prepared for this), as from the outside, it seems to forego the concept of consent. But for Collin, it's exactly what he was looking for.

The film emphasizes the pain/pleasure of discovering one's sexual identity and the limits of certain kinds of relationships. It can often be a painful thing, but Collin is clearly no stranger to pain. Pillion is currently playing in select theaters. 

Written and directed by Harry Lighton // Based on the novel Box Hill: A Story of Low Self-Esteem by Adam Mars-Jones // Starring Harry Melling, Alexander Skarsgård, Lesley Sharpe, Douglas Hodge, Jake Shears, Mat Hill, Nick Figgis, Zoe Engerer, Jake Sharp, and Jacob Carter // 107 minutes // Warner Bros. Pictures // Unrated (NC-17 equivalent)