REVIEW: ‘Pillion’ Is Your Everyday Rom-Com With A Pinch Of BDSM And Dominance

Christopher Mills
Oct 30, 2025
3 min read

Alexander Skarsgård looking at Harry Melling. The text in the middle reads Pillion Review. — Alexander Skarsgård as Ray and Harry Melling as Colin in *Pillion* © A24/Picturehouse

Love comes in many forms, and we get to experience it all through cinema in how these various relationships form. Harry Lighton arrives with his directorial debut, Pillion, which explores a relationship between an introverted and timid gay man, Colin (Harry Melling) and a dominant biker, Ray (Alexander Skarsgård).

Pillion starts like any other romantic comedy, where we see Colin catch the eye of Ray as he drives on his way to the pub to sing along with his barbershop quartet. They lock eyes once more. Colin is unable to pay any attention to his current date that was arranged by his mother, and who's to blame when Alexander Skarsgård is standing round the corner in all leather? While this all may seem very wholesome and cute at first, with Colin's parents supportive of him meeting this mysterious new man, it quickly turns explicit as Ray takes him behind an alleyway and gets into some steamy intimate action.

This is how the movie opens; Lighton doesn't shy away from what this movie is, and he gives us two characters that understand what they want. Colin loves to be obedient and has a "high capacity" for it, while Ray is in search of a sub for his biker group. It's a match made in heaven and a love story for the ages, but Lighton doesn't just make this a movie that's all about sex; it's a heartfelt and human story about two guys who are learning about what they truly desire in life from their relationships.

Harry Melling as Colin staring at Alexander Skarsgård as Ray in Pillion — Harry Melling as Colin and Alexander Skarsgård as Ray in Pillion © A24/Picturehouse

The rules for their relationship and the boundaries between them are set when Colin first goes over to Ray's house. He cooks for him, sleeps on the floor and doesn't ask many questions. This is all an escape from Colin; he gets to escape from his ticket inspector job that involved him getting harassed all day and doesn't have to continue living at home with his parents. Their first few months play out quite fast, with Colin getting accustomed to this life of living and "giving" his entire self to Ray, becoming a part of his lifestyle and joining his biker gang.

Alexander Skarsgård feels like he's not giving much with his performance with Ray, but that's the magic of it all and what makes it such a captivating performance to watch. He doesn't open himself up to Colin, and there's not much we get from the minimal dialogue except that he keeps himself very private. It's an intriguing character study that Lighton provides with both Ray and Colin and their relationship; it doesn't play out like a heterosexual relationship would, like we see with Colin's parents. When his parents do get involved, we start to see how Colin's mother begins to view their relationship, upset with how her son is being treated, although it's a lifestyle that he accepts.

The movie moves at a quick pace, rushing through their relationship and through Colin's life, but it's a great depiction of how quickly life can go for one person. The events that take place allow for Colin to sit with himself for just a little bit and ask himself if he wants a little more control with his relationship. There's a scene where Colin's asked if he's happy, and he answers, "No, I'm happy. I can just maybe be a bit happier," which puts into perspective the toll that this relationship is taking on him and his angle on happiness that doesn't usually feel explored in movies. It's one of the best scenes that explores the dynamic of what feels like a one-sided relationship.

Skarsgård and Melling's dynamic and chemistry are strong, and the vulnerability that Skarsgård displays with Ray and the beautiful yet timid performance that Melling delivers make for one of the most heartfelt performances of the year that shouldn't be missed.

Pillion is an impressive directorial debut from Harry Lighton that's an intimate and non-judgemental showcase of the complexities that arrive with a BDSM LGBTQ+ relationship. It's a movie that's all about self-reflection and discovery and that it's healthy to figure out what works and doesn't work in a relationship.