Pillion (2025)
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2025-09 to 2026-08
A timid man enters into a strict BDSM relationship with an enigmatic biker after a chance encounter at a pub.
The story
Colin, a shy and introverted gay man living in London, works a menial job while pursuing his passion for singing in a barbershop quartet. His life takes a turn when he is handed a note by Ray, a handsome member of a local biker club. The two meet on Christmas Day, leading to a physical encounter. When Ray eventually picks Colin up on his motorcycle, he brings him into his world, where Colin is initiated into a strict BDSM relationship. As Colin begins to adapt to Ray's lifestyle and the demands of the biker community, his parents begin to worry about the lack of information he has regarding Ray's true identity.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Colin, a shy man in London, enters a BDSM relationship with Ray, a biker. Ray demands total submission, and Colin begins to adopt the lifestyle, including a shaved head and a collar. During a biker road trip, Colin experiences the community's dynamics and shares a moment of intimacy with Ray. When Colin's mother falls terminally ill, Ray agrees to meet her, but the meeting ends in a heated argument over their lifestyle. Following her death, Colin suffers a breakdown, and Ray offers a brief moment of comfort. After a conflict over the terms of their relationship, Colin steals Ray's bike and rides off, only to find Ray has agreed to a 'day off' from their roles. They share a first kiss in a park, but Ray later disappears. Colin eventually finds a new partner on Grindr, seeking a relationship where he can be more assertive about his own limits.
- First release year
- 2025
- Runtime (minutes)
- 107
- Production countries
- United Kingdom
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Harry Lighton
- Writers
- Harry Lighton · writer
- Cast and characters
- Harry Melling · Colin; Alexander Skarsgård · Ray; Jake Shears · Kevin
- Genres
- queer romantic dramedy; black comedy; romance; comedy
- Themes
- identity; desire; self-discovery; power dynamics
- Tone and mood
- dark humour; psychological thriller; steamy; understated
- Premise and plot tags
- BDSM; gay romance; biker culture
- Source material / true-story basis
- Box Hill by Adam Mars-Jones
- Content notes
- sex; nudity
- Reception
- The film received critical acclaim, with praise for the writing, directing, and performances of the lead actors.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 85 · scale: 100 · review count: 39
- Awards and nominations
- Palm Dog · Mutt Moment · win; Best Adapted Screenplay · Gotham Independent Film Awards · win
- Production trivia
- The director spent a weekend with real-life bikers to research the film.; The actor Alexander Skarsgård joked about a 'raunchier' version of the film.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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