Pillion

Harry Lighton's Pillion, adapted from Adam Mars-Jones' novel Box Hill, is not your typical queer love story. It's messy, erotic, and sometimes uncomfortable - but that's exactly what makes it so compelling.

The film follows Colin (Harry Melling), a socially awkward parking attendant whose life takes a sharp turn when he meets Ray (Alexander Skarsgård), a confident, enigmatic biker. Their relationship quickly develops into a Dom/Sub dynamic, with Colin stepping into the submissive role. What could have easily been played for shock value instead becomes a complex portrait of power, vulnerability, and desire.

Melling is excellent, embodying Colin's quiet neediness and his awkward search for identity with a mix of humor and heartbreak. Skarsgård, meanwhile, brings a fascinating ambiguity to Ray. He's commanding and often intimidating, yet there are fleeting moments of softness that suggest a man not entirely at ease with his own dominance. Watching the two interact feels raw and unpredictable, almost like eavesdropping on something private.

Lighton's direction balances intensity with sensitivity. The sex scenes are explicit but not gratuitous - they feel integral to the story, expressions of intimacy rather than spectacle. At times the film risks overwhelming its audience; certain sequences are deliberately discomforting, pushing boundaries in ways that won't be for everyone. But there's also humor, tenderness, and a sharp eye for the absurdity of human relationships, which keeps it from becoming too heavy.

If there's a weakness, it's in the pacing. The middle portion is the most engaging, while the resolution feels a bit predictable. Still, Pillion lingers long after it ends. It's a film about longing, shame, and the strange forms love can take when we surrender control.

Not easy, not polite - but unforgettable.

LFF Entry #7

Pretty intriguing concept on paper, but the outcome for me was quite tedious. There's great use of UK locations, gorgeous cinematography, and colour grading, along with some pretty cool bike sequences. But beyond that, I just found it to be a very tedious film in the way it plays out. (It could just be that I'm not the target demographic for this one.)

It reminded me of that one scene from Pulp Fiction (1994) - "Bring Out the Gimp" - but dragged out, with a whole gang of them in the woods being freaky dudes. I checked my phone about four or five times, waiting for it to be over. Like I said, it's not for me. Not worth the watch.

Despite never having found myself in such bizarre circumstances I can whole heartedly relate to our characters Collin (Melling) and Ray (Skarsgard). It's utterly tragic and hilarious on all the right notes- all to land on a profound human measure between the characters and the audience. We all have a deep longing in our hearts; no matter how desperate or disillusioned you may be.

When I learned Adam Mars-Jones' Box Hill was being adapted into a romantic comedy, I was baffled because the novel contains very little typical romance or comedy. Instead, it has plenty of heartbreak and loss. But Harry Lighton's script builds on the source material in an extraordinary way: he moves the story from the 1970s to the modern day, makes Ray American, and avoids the novel's very dramatic ending, instead leaning into a coming-of-age story, which brings out comedy and sweetness of the relationship. This version gives Colin dignity. He finds himself and establishes his boundaries. Colin's parents are given a unique arc: they start as supportive parents of their son's sexuality, but throughout the film they are less accepting of Colin and Ray's relationship.

The last shot of Ray will stick with me for a while. Absolutely loved it.

Some pretty full on homosexual sex scenes, however these weren't out of context and were in fact in context within these S&D relationships.

The story and excellent acting was thoughtful, interesting and made for a thought provoking journey. A great character story, of relationships on several levels, power, past damage with an interesting view of the sub dom relationships, and what might make these so.

A little tough to watch in places, but a very worthy watch nonetheless. 6.5/10 would be my rating if I could use a 0.5.