One of the most talked-about and audacious films of 2025 has arrived in UK cinemas, marking a stunning career reinvention for its former Harry Potter star. Pillion, the feature debut from British director Harry Lighton, is a work that masterfully balances explicit content with profound emotional tenderness, creating an unforgettable cinematic experience.
A Breakthrough Role for Harry Melling
The film features Harry Melling, best known for playing Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter franchise, in a transformative performance that is set to be his second major breakthrough. He plays Colin, a meek parking enforcement officer in his 30s who still lives with his parents in Bromley. Colin's life changes dramatically when he meets Alexander Skarsgård's Ray, an imposing biker gang leader, in a local pub.
Their relationship begins unconventionally, with their first intimate encounter occurring by the bins behind a Primark in Bromley – a moment described as gloriously mundane. Before even formally introducing themselves, they consummate their relationship, with Colin demonstrating what he later proudly calls his aptitude for devotion.
Exploring an Intense BDSM Dynamic
The film follows Colin's transformation into a shaven-headed, collar-wearing submissive to Ray's experienced and stern dominant. Pillion does not shy away from graphic content, featuring scenes including a buffet of bums laid out on picnic tables during a biker gang camping trip and the immortal shopping list instruction: Buy yourself a butt plug, you're too tight.
Colin's incredibly British response – Lovely, that sounds like a plan – perfectly demonstrates the film's deft balancing of humour, heart and hedonism. While the film is explicit, it uses clever camerawork and facial expressions rather than outright graphic imagery to convey intimacy.
More Than Just Shock Value
Based on Adam Mars-Jones's 2020 novel Box Hill, Pillion explores the emotional weight of such an unconventional courtship. Colin sleeps on a rug rather than in Ray's bed and is expected to cook all his meals. The film also delves into his parents' perspective, beautifully played by Lesley Sharp and Douglas Hodge, who initially welcome their son's new romance but grow increasingly concerned about Ray's closed-off attitude.
Melling delivers a raw, vulnerable performance, with every emotion playing across his face as he portrays Colin's desperate need for love and acceptance. Skarsgård manages the difficult task of making the impenetrable Ray both mysterious and human, hinting at emotional damage beneath his layers of self-control. The two actors share intense chemistry that makes their intimate scenes feel simultaneously sexy, realistic and emotionally layered.
The film, which won the best screenplay prize in Cannes' Un Certain Regard section, proves to be more touching than expected, particularly in its final act. Pillion is now showing in UK cinemas after its red carpet gala screening at the BFI London Film Festival in October and its acclaimed debut at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year.
