June is Pride Month, and there are plenty of LGBTQ+ folks and their allies who are looking for queer stories to watch. While not exactly a queer rom-com, folks with an HBO Max subscription were recently treated to the streaming release of Harry Lighton’s Pillion. I was excited to watch the steamy movie from my home, and it really made the Fifty Shades movies look as wholesome as When Harry Met Sally.
I wanted to see Pillion in theaters, but was too busy back in February when it arrived in US theaters. I was shocked by its sexual content and its portrayal of a dom/sub relationship, as well as its graphic nudity. Overall, I’m surprised this movie was even able to be made and given a wide theatrical release.
Pillion Was Way Steamier And NSFW Than I Thought
Pillion wasn’t what I expected, which is very much a compliment. I was hooked on the movie the minute Alexander Skarsgård‘s Ray entered the film and began to train Harry Melling’s Colin as his submissive. In many ways, it felt like the audience was in Colin’s POV, getting more invested methodically from their meeting at a bar to them eventually engaging in a committed relationship. Just not the one you typically expect from queer love stories on film.
Indeed, Ray makes it clear to Colin that they are not in “love” the way most relationships play out. Instead, he’s in complete control, telling Colin what to wear and having him serve him in and out of the bedroom. And while it’s undeniable that Skarsgård’s character is easy on the eyes, the actual reality of the dom/sub dynamic is intense and more than I assume most people would be able to handle. There’s also a ton of nudity, including close-up shots of Ray’s (prosthetic) penis, which has the potential to be a big shock.
For instance, Colin must shave his head and sleep on the floor while Ray sleeps on his comfortable bed. He also cooks all his meals and gives up complete control over his own body when the two are sexual. I couldn’t help but think of how PG-13 the Fifty Shades movies were in comparison; I mean, Dakota Johnson’s Anastasia would never put up with Ray’s demands.
As a queer person, I’m at least partly aware of how these dom/sub relationships work. But I think it’s pretty remarkable that Pillion was filmed and released, and is now streaming on a major platform like HBO Max. I have a feeling that straight folks out there might be in for a ton of surprises is they decide to give the movie a try because they love True Blood‘s Alexander Skarsgård and want to check out a relatively new release. As for LGBTQ+ audiences, I think this movie is a perfect Pride watch, and is more than just steamy scenes.
Pillion is streaming now on HBO Max as part of the 2026 movie release list. Just beware: the movie is definitely not suitable for work.