By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3 cats
Director: Harry Lighton
Starring: Alexander Skarsgård | Douglas Hodge | Harry Melling | Jake Shears | Lesley Sharp
Year: 2026
Running time: 107
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt32321317
Diane says: “Colin, inexperienced and shy, falls hard for gorgeous biker Ray, and learns quickly that, in this relationship, he doesn’t have a say about anything. Within days Colin has a shaved head and a chain around his neck.
“To ease myself into this BDSM romance–I didn’t want to be distracted by my own aversion–I first read the novel that PILLION was adapted from (Box Hill by Adam Mars-Jones). And as so often happens when I do that, the ‘adaptation’ disappointed me. (Mars-Jones has said that the movie has two lines from the book.) When will I learn?
“As Colin, Harry Melling’s eyes and mouth made the movie for me–his quiet, yearning stares, his snaggletoothed tentativeness. Colin’s parents are well-written and played: Lesley Sharp has a mother’s fierce love, Douglas Hodge deflects conflict to support his son’s happiness.
“Director/screenwriter Harry Lighton (first feature) nails the perspective for most of the movie, critically keeping us out of Ray’s head, but the third act was a failure for me.
“Averages out to 3 cats.”