A new British film exploring the intense dynamics of a BDSM relationship has sparked a significant conversation within the UK's kink community. Pillion, starring Alexander Skarsgård as leather dom Ray and Harry Melling as submissive Colin, has just opened in cinemas across the country, offering a rare mainstream glimpse into leather culture.
Authentic Portrayal or Glossed-Over Reality?
Reactions from within the community are largely positive, praising the film's authenticity while noting some omissions. Dr Lori Beth Bisbey, a 62-year-old GSRD therapist and psychologist from Edinburgh, described the film as "absolutely brilliant" and true to its leather roots. She highlighted the film's raw and impressive depiction of sex, a departure from typically sanitised on-screen portrayals.
However, Bisbey pointed out a notable absence: there isn't a single explicit conversation about consent between the characters. While she suggests lengthy negotiations might have been cut for pacing, she acknowledges that in reality, people sometimes take calculated risks. From a psychological perspective, she analyses Ray's need for control as an emotional management tool and Colin's journey towards articulating his desires.
Moving Beyond the 'Gimp in the Basement' Stereotype
For many commentators, Pillion represents a vital step away from harmful cinematic clichés. KrugerAfterDark, a fetish community journal run by a 55-year-old from Cambridgeshire, noted that BDSM has long been stigmatised, even within the LGBTQ+ community, often reduced to thriller tropes. "With Pillion, we observe human emotions and reactions where love and BDSM interact," they said, calling it an homage to the origins of gay leather culture in post-war motorcycle clubs.
The film includes nods to diverse fetish elements like latex, rubber, and pup play, with steel chain chokers symbolising ownership. Yet, it notably omits the BLUF (Breeches and Leather Uniform Fanclub) aesthetic, a curious exclusion for some. Despite this, the consensus is that the film is a long-overdue portrait of a marginalised community.
Complex Characters and Universal Emotions
Viewers connected deeply with the film's exploration of loneliness, self-discovery, and the clash between fantasy and reality. Max Hovey, a 26-year-old queer intimacy educator from Ashford, was "pretty blown away" and related strongly to its portrayal of queer loneliness and the challenge of dating outside major cities. He cried four times, moved by its raw depiction of settling for connection.
Talia, 33 from Oxford, praised the film for capturing the "euphoric" feeling of entering the kink world, a "magnificent secret" that changes one's perspective. As a lesbian, she valued seeing flawed, "fucked up" queer characters, a contrast to sanitised representations like Heartstopper. The film bravely sits in the "uncomfortable juncture where fantasy meets reality," acknowledging that 24/7 BDSM dynamics eventually meet mundane realities like filing taxes.
Luca, 29 from Oxford, appreciated the "excruciatingly British" context—complete with a tiny dog and Christmas pub singing—and how the film showed BDSM experimentation extending beyond the bedroom into lifestyle and social spheres. Homme de Cuir, a 55-year-old steel artist from Shropshire whose work features in the film, commended director Harry Lighton for his bravery. He treasures the "authenticity and vulnerability" of the kink community, which he finds absent in a world "full of lies and bullshit."
Overall, Pillion is being celebrated not just as a film about BDSM, but as a complex, funny, and heartfelt story about human connection, loneliness, and the search for authentic self-expression, resonating powerfully with the community it depicts.
