Within the ‘buddy movie’ sub-genre, often the story revolves around one last blowout before one or all of the friends leaves town or goes off to college or university. In comedy drama The State of Us, the feature debut from directorial duo Ollie Gardner and Jake Harvey, the central night out for two working class pals is a matter of life and death.
Twenty-something Taylor (Callum Scott Howells) has terminal cancer and is living out his final weeks in a hospice until his best friend Frankie (Samuel Bottomley) breaks in to sneak him out. Across a raucous evening of hedonism, the pair reflect on their past, live in the moment, and try desperately not to think about the future looming ahead.
Given the nature of the plot, Gardener and Harvey have a tricky tonal tightrope to walk with their script; one that injects dark humour into what is objectively a morbid situation. Excessive vaping and modern dialogue neatly timestamps the film in the contemporary Gen-Z category and as the boys become embroiled in a somewhat typical tale of girls, drugs, and thugs, the narrative dips into a lot of coming-of-age tropes. As well as a standout original score composed by Blossoms frontman Tom Ogden, the material is elevated by two great turns from Howells and Bottomley. One coming to terms with his mortality and the other lashing out at the world because of it, it presents a refreshingly honest portrayal of male friendship as they, or Frankie in particular, confronts repressed emotions.
Imbued with equal measures of volatility and vulnerability, the superb leading performances make The State of Us an impressive first outing for co-directors Gardener and Harvey. Dealing in challenging themes with wit, charm, and a lightness of touch, we have two new voices singing in harmony in the British independent film scene.
The State of Us celebrated its World Premiere in Edinburgh on 14th August 2026
Cinema Perspective 