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Pillion

Play trailer 2:02 Poster for Pillion Now Playing 1h 46m Romance Comedy LGBTQ+ Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 104 Reviews Popcornmeter Fewer than 50 Verified Ratings
A timid man is swept off his feet when an enigmatic, impossibly handsome biker takes him on as his submissive.
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Pillion

What to Know

Critics Consensus

A remarkable directorial debut by Harry Lighton, Pillion is an unconventional romance that soars thanks to its nonjudgmental perspective and knockout performances.

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Critics Reviews

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Zachary Barnes Wall Street Journal 7m
It could have been simply shocking, revving its engine in sexed-up style. Instead, as a vehicle for a pair of wonderful performances, “Pillion” purrs. Go to Full Review
William Bibbiani TheWrap 58m
Kinky as hell and also extremely romantic. That’s not a combo a lot of movies go for nowadays, let alone pull off this beautifully, and that makes 'Pillion' something of a miracle. Go to Full Review
Thelma Adams AARP Movies for Grownups 2h
5/5
With screenwriter/director Harry Lighton’s keen awareness of power dynamics within a couple, the script’s choice to celebrate rather than judge, and Skarsgård’s magnetic performance and Melling’s sensitive one, Pillion is a racy but compassionate romance. Go to Full Review
Dana Han-Klein We're Watching What?! 1h
4.6/5
A beautiful love story (that just so happens to be leather clad and lusty). Skarsgård and Melling play their roles to perfection and at the end of the day it's about discovering what we deserve in our relationships. Go to Full Review
Todd Jorgenson Cinemalogue 3h
This bittersweet comedy resonates with refreshing candidness and heartfelt charm to overcome its contrivances as a wish-fulfillment fantasy. Go to Full Review
Rachel Tolleson The Mary Sue 6h
4.5/5
Melling and Skarsgard play beautifully off each other. Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Daniel A 5h The film is empty. The strength gained is very hard to see, and I’m a gay man in the leather community. See more Tony 8h Gay, a little s and m, with some emotional aspects. See more Erik K. @Mcadae 38m Overall terrible, bad writing, bad acting that's all I'm allowed to say. See more Carter S. @Dreamxhustle 3h Hot, as expected. Funnier than anticipated, while moving and surprising in its care for its main characters and their journeys. Take a peak into a subculture and delight in the way family and chosen family support each other. See more Adam S @Adaboy 3h This film is being promoted as a romantic biker tale about two gay men falling for each other, but for me, it dove way deeper into something very rare on sceen: an raw, unfiltered look at a Master/Slave dynamic in BDSM. This isn't your typical Dom/Sub setup—it's more intense, more committed, and honestly, a whole different beast. I wish the movie had paused to explain that distinction, especially since so many people's intro to BDSM is 50 Shades of Grey. This type of BDSM power dynamic is practiced both in and outside of the queer community. The main character starts out stumbling through "traditional" relationships, feeling totally out of place, and then awkwardly fumbles his way into this alternative lifestyle that just clicks. His mess-ups and failures aren't just plot points; they're what lead to these profound self-discoveries about who he is, what he needs, and how he connects with others. Please don't confuse this as a gay movie, it's really a movie of self discovery. See more Will D @Spike93 6h A extraordinarly well-crafted ode to self-discovery and sexual liberation. See more Read all reviews
Pillion

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Movie Info

Synopsis A timid man is swept off his feet when an enigmatic, impossibly handsome biker takes him on as his submissive.
Director
Harry Lighton
Producer
Lee Groombridge, Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Emma Norton
Screenwriter
Harry Lighton
Distributor
A24
Production Co
Element Pictures, British Film Institute (BFI), BBC Film
Genre
Romance, Comedy, LGBTQ+
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 6, 2026, Limited
Runtime
1h 46m
Sound Mix
Dolby Digital
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.85:1)