‘Pillion’ Review: A Surprisingly Sweet Romance

Pillion is everything. It is romantic, funny, actually sexy, heartwarming, bittersweet, captivating, insightful, and deeply human. BDSM had not been given a fair depiction on screen. We’ve seen 50 Shades of Grey which is denounced by the community or other films that use it as simply the butt of the joke rather than a way of living. Pillion makes this community look beautiful, in its own kind of way. The film follows the lowkey Colin as he meets the confident Ray, a biker who invites Collin into a submissive relationship with him. Through this Colin’s life changes,as he discovers what excites him. Initiating a time of personal growth through an unconventional relationship. Read our full review for Pillion below. 

This review contains spoilers for Pillion. 

A BDSM rom-com, or simply put dom-com, could have gone extremely wrong. As I mentioned before this way of living has not been given a fair chance in mainstream cinema. That’s one of the reasons Pillion is so exciting. You are given a look into something you may not understand or finally be given the understanding you have been looking for. The only thing is, I do not think this film is fully encapsulating this world, instead it aims to do something more interesting. It captures one circumstance, showing how this relationship is constructed based on what the two in the relationship want.  Pillion is not interesting because of the acts done on screen or the power imbalance, but because of the consistent reminder of how these people want to be there. Even though some things are emotionally charged, at the core the relationship is about choice, consent, and pleasure. Something that other mainstream films have not driven home as well in the past. Even if you know nothing of this kind of life, the film is not telling you to fully agree, but instead presenting what it is and asking you to empathize by showing two people just trying to find happiness in a way that works for them.

The most surprising aspect of Pillion is how sweet it is. Yes it does have its boundary pushing moments, but at its core this film is about self expression and finding one’s happiness. The relationship between Harry Melling’s Colin and Alexander Skarsgård’s Ray, may be hard for some people to grasp on to at first, yet the screenplay and actors skillfully welcome you in. It is so refreshing to see a rom-com actually be sexy. None of the rom-coms of last year, or in many years have actually checked that box. This is not even to do with the BDSM aspect, it is the way the characters long and act towards each other. Colin is more outward in his affections and is played woefully naive in a charming manner. Well Ray is on the surface cold, but in simple acts and words shows how he cares. There are no professions of love, but there are unspoken gestures and signs of their love. This focus towards the small intimate moments, along with the more extreme, makes Pillion a one of a kind experience. 

Pillion does not just have a perfect script though, it also is helmed by two fantastic performances. Especially Alexander Skarsgård. Giving one of his best performances, Skarsgård is the perfect mysterious love interest. Exuding charm and a hard exterior all at once. It goes deeper though. There is a moment near the end of a shot of Skarsgård’s face that was so striking it took me aback. That one single moment of facial acting brought a new layer to the character and a vulnerability that has stayed with me since seeing it. This whole film is a reminder of how important the personal is when finding the right relationship. On paper someone could be attractive, kind, funny, or any fine trait but there are personal boundaries and needs that every individual has. It’s a coming of age in the sense that the characters through this relationship understand what they want from a partner. So even if it does not work out in the end for the two, the experience helped them understand what they want. It’s bittersweet, it’s beautiful. Pillion is sure to stop you in your tracks. If you are nervous to see this movie, out of not understanding this way of living I plead with you to open your heart because this film is undeniably endearing. 

Pillion was written and directed by Harry Lighton and stars Harry Melling, Alexander Skarsgård, Lesley Sharp, and Douglas Hodge. The film was given a limited release on February 13.

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