The trailer for Harry Lighton’s queer rom-com Pillion is going to shock some folks. Not for being a movie about two gay men, played by Alexander Skarsgard and Harry Melling, engaged in a sexually-charged relationship, but for the candid way in which it’s depicted. As seen in the footage, this movie isn’t going to hide the actors’ bodies, nor will it hide from frank conversations about BDSM. And yet, presented to the tune of Debbie Gibson’s “I Think We’re All Alone Now”, it also looks like a movie that could appeal to just about everyone, even those who would normally turn their noses up.
Pillion is based on the book by Adam Mars-Jones, adapted by Lighton who also directs. The film premiered in the Un Certain Regard at Cannes where it won for Best Screenplay and, no kidding, the Palm Dog for best performance by a canine.
SYNOPSIS: A timid man is swept off his feet when an enigmatic, impossibly handsome biker takes him on as his submissive.
Also in the cast are Douglas Hodge, Lesley Sharp, and Scissor Sisters vocalist Jake Shears in his acting debut.
A24 will release Pillion in theaters on February 6th.
