“Pillion,” directed by first-time feature filmmaker Harry Lighton, is a test of its audience’s idea of intimacy and commitment.
The film stars Harry Melling as Colin, an awkward young adult struggling to find a man and a purpose in life, until he comes across Ray, played by Alexander Skarsgård, a motorcycle-riding, leather-clad dom who demands Colin’s every waking moment.
“Pillion,” however, is more than just a shocking practice in sexual self discovery — it’s a hard-to-swallow exploration of what it means to be loved told through the beautiful cinematography of Nick Morris that makes motorcycle rides feel even more intimate than the daring sex scenes.
From its advertising, “Pillion” may seem like just another piece of gay sports media like “Challengers” and “Heated Rivalry” but while those are stylistic celebrations of complicated situationships, “Pillion” is a slower piece that begs one to digest the nature of Colin and Ray’s relationship.
The audience endures some of the protagonists’ painful and awkward interactions with a world that doesn’t understand them, but the film still manages to find warmth, not in spite of its BDSM nature, but because of it.
Lighton directs the risqué, dominating sex scenes where leather-daddies force their subs onto tables to do whatever they please with the same energy and intimacy as the small, wholesome moments of hand-touching and popcorn-sharing.
No elements of the characters’ lives are shunned by the camera. Everything and every person is treated with the same respect.
The film views its characters not as queer props to gawk and laugh at, but as fully realized people whose kinks are not spectacle, but a part of everyday life.
“Pillion” isn’t just respectful of its characters who test the boundaries of respectable society, but also of its audience, allowing them to make their own judgements about what is right for its main character.
Lighton allows his viewers to see different forms of love unfold, creating a confusing but confident journey about finding one’s own form of codependence.
The film speaks so specifically to the rapidly changing world of dating: How, with the constantly growing communities of the internet, there is no right way to love each other anymore.
There is, however, a right way to love yourself.
“Pillion’s” soundscape supports this – with the synth-heavy needledrops often being blended in with the sounds of revving motorcycles, even serene moments gain a sense of intensity that is commanded by Skarsgård’s performance.
Only when the film needs a sense of warmth do we hear music from Colin’s perspective, away from the revving motorcycle and in the comfort of his room or cozy bars: The idea of domination, for him, comes from a want for comfort. The film’s soundscape guides the audience through his internal thoughts as his idea of romance changes.
The film, excellently, puts viewers in Colin’s shoes. While his situation may seem so unique it risks alienating the audience, the movie grounds its narrative in the basic human want of finding ourselves.
“Pillion” is a warm, tender, and arresting film: A fantastic exploration of what it means to be happy in a relationship.
The film speaks to the freaks, or maybe even the more vanilla individual who fears to push their own boundaries: Urging its audience, not with domineering shouting, but a soft touch of the hand, to explore.
“Pillion” is a leather-clad wonder. Just when it seems like the romantic comedy glory days may be behind the genre, Lighton brings a much-needed fresh perspective through the world of bikers and BDSM, showing its audience that love is about more than pleasing your partner– it’s about pleasing yourself.
“Pillion” was released in Chicago theaters on Friday, Feb. 13 and releases worldwide on Feb. 20.
Copy edited by Samantha Mosquera
