(Image credit: A24)
HBO Max just added "Pillion" to the streaming service on June 5, and when I tell you this is a must-watch, I'm not exaggerating. I went to the screening for this movie largely on a whim, and when I walked out of the theater, I was debating whether or not I had seen the best movie of the year.My British friends reading this will be interjecting at this point, crying out that this is a 2025 movie. And they would be technically correct. In the U.K., this unconventional romantic comedy was released in November 2025 after winning awards at Cannes earlier that year. But for those of us across the pond, "Pillion" didn't hit theaters until February 6.But whether or not this movie is a 2025 movie or a 2026 movie is irrelevant. What matters is that you need to stream it now that it's on HBO Max.It stars former "Harry Potter" supporting actor Harry Melling in a BDSM relationship with a biker leather daddy played by Alexander Skarsgård, and their chemistry is undeniable. Perhaps coincidentally, it's arrived on HBO Max just in time for Pride Month, but you don't need to be in the LGBTQ+ community to connect with "Pillion." Yes, it's got plenty of men engaging in gay BDSM sex. But this dark rom-com is really a universal love story about commitment, devotion, jealousy and unrequited love. That makes it an accessible story for anyone.Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, watching dozens of movies a year, so you know what's worth going to the theater for and spending your hard-earned money on.What is 'Pillion' about?As I mentioned briefly, "Pillion" stars Melling as Colin, a timid gay man who is struggling through a mundane life. That all changes, though, when he gets picked up by the objectively handsome Ray (Skarsgård) at a local pub. They go on a "date" not long after, and soon find themselves in a BDSM relationship with Colin as the submissive and Ray as the Dom.
