Pillion (2025) Film Review: Sexy, yet sensitive and profound exploration of an unconventional romance

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Colin (Harry Melling) is a timid, somewhat directionless gay man who lives with his parents and works as a parking enforcement officer by day, whilst singing in a barbershop quartet by night.

One fateful evening, he swiftly finds himself swept off his feet by the impossibly handsome, enigmatic biker, Ray (Alexander Skarsgård), and the two start a BDSM relationship.

Pillion (2025) is a romantic comedy drama written and directed by Harry Lighton in his feature film debut. The screenplay is based on the 2020 novel Box Hill by Adam Mars-Jones and is a co-production between the UK and Ireland.

This is a deeply personal, intimate, small-scale story firmly rooted in its characters and the exhilarating, yet often complicated experience of falling in love for the first time and discovering one's personal and sexual identity in the process.

Harry Melling (probably most well known for playing Harry Potter's oafish cousin, Dudley) successfully distances himself from this boyhood role to play a young, gay man looking for love

From the very beginning, Lighton closely aligns viewers with the inner world of our introverted lead through very well-realised camerawork and precise filmmaking. Lush, majestic nighttime sequences showcasing the POV of a motorbike rider, smoothly gliding in and out of motorway or country road traffic, emphasise the pure freedom and desirable lifestyle which attracts Colin to the carefree group of bikers.

The movie is truly admirable for its sheer openness and honesty in examining a lesser-known, unorthodox community like the bikers, who all engage in some kind of BDSM relationship between them and regularly meet up for sexual orgies. It actively challenges the typical masculine stereotypes associated with 'hairy bikers' and invites audiences to be more open-minded towards the broadness of sexuality.

This is a very explicit, graphic film in regards to its many depictions of sexual intercourse between men, so definitely be prepared to see 'the Full Monty' on many occasions. Lighton is both confident and fearless in his direction, which greatly extends to all of the actors who were comfortable to quite literally bare it all whenever and wherever required.

Colin, who instantly falls head over heels for Ray, soon discovers what his crush intends their relationship to be, and Colin readily consents to playing the role of a submissive to Ray's dominance. From being ordered to sleep on a rug on the bedroom floor to cooking and picking up groceries, the specifics of his role are quickly made very clear.

There are a handful of particularly erotic, stirring scenes which are soaked in heavy passion, desire and lust, as Colin experiences all of his first times and falls hard for Ray.

The effortlessly dashing Alexander Skarsgård co-leads as an enigmatic, confident biker who sparks a particular interest in the impressionable Colin when they meet in a pub

However, the film is not all about the sex and is not just a porn show; the screenplay is also well-nuanced and emotionally impactful with its exploration of an arguably abusive relationship. There is a quiet devastation and uncomfortable aspect to the movie lingering throughout, as Ray has firm boundaries about what he wants, often failing to meet his lover in the middle and properly fulfil his needs.

Harry Melling is outstanding here, radiating a captivating innocence and later heartbreaking authenticity as his character is clearly aching to form a deep, meaningful connection with someone. Every searching glance, every ecstatic smile or single tear is tenderly captured by Lighton's empathetic direction.

Colin undergoes a truly satisfying character arc as his newfound sexual experiences give way to solid development and eventual recognition of what he really wants in a relationship.

Although this is certainly Melling's time to shine in the spotlight, co-star Alexander Skarsgård definitely deserves praise as well. Both fully commit to a high level of vulnerability by being comfortable in each other's presence when engaging in raw sexual acts, with the two also sharing believable chemistry.

Ray makes for quite the mysterious, intense love interest for Colin, with his lack of spoken words heavily contrasting with Colin's nervous bumbling. The pair do make for quite a sweet couple when both are happy with their positions; however, the seemingly perfect, fairy tale relationship may not be the endgame here, as things later become complicated.

Both explicit and daring, the film never shies away from its original subject matter and profoundly explores the complexities and intricacies of romantic relationships

The film takes a poignant, powerful turn towards its climax with its intriguing character exploration and heavy, psychological themes of love, loss and acceptance. Due to the excellent performances from the whole cast (Lesley Sharp as Colin's protective mother certainly deserves a shout-out!), this may even be quite the tear-jerker for some.

All in all, Pillion is an impressive debut from director Harry Lighton, who presents a refreshingly modern, unconventional and bold take on gay romance. The film is beautifully written and acted, with Harry Melling in particular standing out with commendable dedication given to his role.

Due to its focus on the LGBT and BDSM communities, this movie may genuinely be a life-affirming watch for many people, and one can only praise everyone involved for such a unique, special project.

Check out the trailer for Pillion (2025), and please let me know your thoughts in the comments!