This film premiered at the 78th Cannes Film Festival where it was nominated for the Queer Palm, a prize for LGBTQ+ submissions. It won Best Screenplay at Cannes. It also won the Palm Dog, which goes to a film that has the best performance by a canine or group of canines at Cannes. There are two canines in this film, but I wouldn't say those canines are featured to any significant degree as previous Palm Dog winners, such as Anatomy of a Fall (2023) or even something like Pixar's Up (2009). The physical award is a leather dog collar, and it must be said that dog collars, specifically on humans, and leather on humans who are treated as dogs, are a significant factor, so getting the Palm Dog award does feel appropriate in a roundabout way.
It went on to be nominated for seven British Independent Film Awards where it won Best Debut Director and Best Film. It was up for two Gotham Independent Film Awards where it received Best Adapted Screenplay. It got a DGA Award nomination, as well as three BAFTA nominations for its writer and director, Harry Lighton, adapting the 2020 novel by Adam Mars-Jones, which shines a light or "lighton" on a Gay Bikers Motorcycle Club and the BDSM community.
Harry Melling (The Tragedy of Macbeth and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone) stars as Colin, a parking attendant at a public garage in London, England. He often has to give parking tickets, which causes people not to like him. He lives at home with his parents who are very supportive of his homosexuality. His mum even sets him up on a date on Christmas Eve. However, he doesn't seem much interested in this blind date. In fact, Colin seems more interested in another guy at the pub, a guy who is part of a gay bikers motorcycle club. Colin particularly takes an interest in a "human pup" who is also part of that club.
A human pup is basically a guy who dresses up or behaves like a puppy. They sit on the floor. They lick things. They may even bark and wear dog collars or leashes. Mainly, they are subservient and obedient to an older male who orders them around. Human pups tend to be gay men but could be any kind of person, gay or straight, male or female. Human pups also tend to be associated with the BDSM community where people achieve sexual gratification from role-playing as these alpha and beta personality types, bonding with one another because of this role-play.
Alexander Skarsgård (Big Little Lies and True Blood) co-stars as Ray, a member of the gay bikers motorcycle club. He never reveals what he does for work or if he has any family. He has an apartment where he lives with his rottweiler. He does play the piano and he enjoys reading, so he's not some stereotypical biker who some might presume to be low class or some kind of brute. Ray is highly educated and seems like he has some wealth. His apartment isn't supremely luxurious. It feels rather humble, but he does have a freedom that appears to come from financial stability or some abundance.
He doesn't have the wealth of Christian Grey from the film Fifty Shades of Grey (2015), but like Christian Grey, Ray engages in BDSM, which stands for "Bondage, Dominance, and Sadomasochism." Christian Grey was more into the bondage part of BDSM and a little of the sadomasochism, whereas Ray is more into the dominance part. Yet, his dominance isn't as rough as it could have been. He basically gives orders to Colin and Colin has to do them. Those orders aren't anything egregious or might be perceived as super demeaning. There is a scene later where Colin literally has to prostrate himself in the anticipation of a sex act, but prostrating is something that people do in religious organizations like Buddhism or Islam.
Ray simply orders Colin to cook and clean. Colin also has to be silent when Ray is watching TV, reading or sleeping. It's not as if Colin can't talk, but Ray prefers silence and not conversation when he's focusing on certain activities, which doesn't seem that unreasonable. If Colin stays the night, he isn't allowed to sleep in Ray's bed. Colin has to sleep on the rug next to the bed, which is the only dog-like thing Ray asks of Colin. It's not as if Ray makes Colin crawl on all-fours, bark like a dog or eat out of a dog bowl.
The only issue is that Ray doesn't like to share personal or even professional details. Ray can be very stoic. It's not as if he can't smile, laugh and have fun, but he can be very stoic when he's with Colin. Ray keeps a wall up. He clearly doesn't want to fall in love. He makes it clear that this relationship is strictly sexual and not romantic. I'm not super familiar with the BDSM community, but Ray's no-romance, no-kissing rule doesn't feel indicative of the entire community, and Lighton's film makes that clear. That resistance to romance from Ray feels like a contrivance to this film in order to create drama for drama's sake. Another dramatic aspect that is raised is how BDSM can come across to those who are outside of it. Some can perceive BDSM as abuse, which is how it was depicted in Emerald Fennell's Wuthering Heights (2026). Colin's mum, Peggy, played by Lesley Sharp (The Full Monty and Priest), has that perception in part. She suspects that Ray is abusing Colin. It's only one scene though. Lighton doesn't truly examine that aspect or that dynamic.
Colin is only cooking and cleaning, as well as sleeping on a rug. Aside from that rug, Colin isn't doing much more than a 1950's wife would do. It's also not much more from what current right-wing or ultra-orthodox men and women think their roles should be. The term "tradwife" is one that has come up in right-wing, social media. Some modern-day women might think those kinds of roles are a form of abuse, but if a person chooses it, then the question would be why. Why would a person choose that? The film doesn't delve any deeper into the why or the psychology.
The title refers to the second seat on a motorcycle, usually the seat behind the driver. We see Colin riding in that seat while holding the waist of Ray. That appears to be how Lighton wants audiences to see this film. He simply wants us to hold on and enjoy the ride being in that secondary position and not asking questions. There are things to enjoy like the genuine performances, the moments of tenderness and sweet touches, the slight humor and the graphic sexuality and nudity. Yes, this film is sexier than Fennell's. It's revealed that Ray has a Prince Albert, genital piercing, which some might find titillating. The only issue is that a deeper understanding of this specific BDSM sexuality from a psychological standpoint is lost.
Finally, the film introduces a character named Darren, played by Anthony Welsh (Bob Marley: One Love and My Brother the Devil). I wish the film had given more time to Darren to contrast Colin's relationship with Darren, as opposed to Ray.
Rated R for strong sexual content, graphic nudity, and language.
Running Time: 1 hr. and 46 mins.
In select theaters.
Available on VOD on March 31.