“What am I gonna do with you?”, declares a scantily leather-clad Ray (Alexander Skarsgard) to a frozen, yet excited Colin (Harry Melling) in Harry Lighton’s scintillating Pillion, expanding to Phoenix theaters this weekend.
Pillion is as much about Colin’s journey as it is the blossoming romance with Ray that they embrace, anchored with a tender set of performances, amidst Lighton’s strong adaptation of Adam Mars-Jones’ 2020 novel, Box Hill and his adept direction. This trio drives compelling commitment from both Melling and Skarsgård to an authentic journey.
Skarsgård, in particular shows no fear as Ray. A lot of that tenacity comes from the performance however, it takes an absolutely dedicated professional to deliver the goods, in not so many words. The actor is quiescent, standing tall for his own convictions evoking a trust, the polar opposite of Melling, who is equally a dedicated professional in playing Colin.
For all his quirks, Colin, a member of a quartet along with his father at a pub by night, attracts Ray’s attention when he and his group of his friends stop off for a frosty one before heading home for the night. Lighton is keen to capture the emotions behind their eyes; Ray’s deep steely stares, Colin’s frenetic excitement, for it is there that the story unfolds.
Just thinking about Pillion gives shivers of excitement for Colin’s journey of self-discovery. Melling is a Prince Charming, yet he lacks confidence and grace. Through a trust in Ray, which as the story develops, Melling finds what he needs. In that regard, Pillion is as much a psychological study as it thrusts its way into even deeper into the BDSM community in such a way that one is horrified and can authentically laugh at the same time; Colin’s and Ray’s shared trust guides each other in a give and take way.
Pillion’s emotional center not only rests on Colin’s blossoming romance with Ray, but with the separation Colin undertakes with his parents, Pete (Douglas Hodge) and Peggy (Leslie Sharp). A sense of desperation envelops Colin at the start of the film, only to be emotionally pulled together midway through when Ray finally agrees to Colin’s repeated requests to allow him to bring Ray home to meet mum and dad. For reasons beyond this review, there is a clever distaste between Peggy and Ray (the trailer reveals the tête-à-tête) that is perhaps the most judgemental moment in an otherwise unjudgemental story. Lighton and cinematographer Nick Morris fill the dining room with late afternoon light as the characters debate the give and take balance of not only Colin’s and Ray’s relationship, but of Peggy’s and Colin’s relationship. The lighting never changes in the scene, its brightness hues toward a suggestive sense of hope in what could almost be considered a soul-crushing moment.
Lighton has implied on social media that there was a raunchier cut of Pillion. The risqué themes that we do get are tastefully done. The main pillar underpinning Colin’s journey, sex, is taboo here. By focusing on Colin’s self-discovery journey, the LGBTQIA+ and BDSM tenets, any recrimination by the characters becomes very human.
Pillion explores a modern humanity, filled with exquisite characterizations led by committed professionals who aimed to strike a balance between a want and a need, finding an unmitigated passion in the journey.
I admit that the trailer is quite intriguing, thanks Ben!