Harry Lighton's remarkable debut feature � 7-minute standing ovation at Cannes � is a nonjudgmental, tender, quietly radical romance about a timid man swept up by an enigmatic biker who discovers an entirely new version of himself.
An Unconventional Love Story
Colin (Harry Melling) is a wallflower � mild, invisible. Then Ray (Alexander Skarsg�rd) appears: the impossibly handsome leader of a motorbike club who takes Colin as his submissive in a dynamic simultaneously romantic, physical, and deeply transformative. Based on Adam Mars-Jones' novel Box Hill, the film is astonishing in its refusal to judge its characters or explain them away. Melling delivers a performance of extraordinary vulnerability and quiet courage � every scene requires complete exposure, and he meets the challenge with total commitment.
"A remarkable directorial debut � Pillion soars thanks to its nonjudgmental perspective and knockout performances from both leads."
� RT Critics ConsensusCannes to A24
The Cannes standing ovation reflected a film that clearly moved audiences in ways polite critical vocabulary struggles to capture. A24's US release rewarded with 96% RT and enthusiastic word of mouth. Lighton announces himself as a major new talent in cinema.
The Verdict
One of the finest love stories in recent cinema � unusual, tender, brave, and indelible. Melling and Skarsg�rd are extraordinary. Don't miss it.
Harry Lighton's remarkable debut feature � 7-minute standing ovation at Cannes � is a nonjudgmental, tender, quietly radical romance about a timid man swept up by an enigmatic biker who discovers an entirely new version of himself.