The State of Us (2025) - Movie News | Updates & Details

The first clip from The State of Us has arrived, and it lands with a mix of tender mischief and raw desperation. The indie feature, directed by Ollie Gardner, stars Samuel Bottomley as Frankie, a tearaway who decides that the only acceptable way to spend one final night with his best friend Taylor - played by Callum Scott Howells - is to break him out of hospice care.

The exclusive footage, shared this week ahead of the film’s Edinburgh-bound festival trajectory, finds the two leads in a cramped, sterile room that feels both like a sanctuary and a cage. Frankie’s plan is simple: one last hurrah, a riotous handful of hours filled with laughter, heartbreak, and the kind of home truths that only surface when time is running out. The clip practically hums with nervous energy, as Bottomley’s Frankie tries to sell the escapade with a grin that doesn’t quite reach his eyes, while Howells’ Taylor wavers between reluctant surrender and a flicker of genuine excitement.

A story about friendship at the edge

The film’s official synopsis keeps the emotional stakes front and center. Frankie isn’t just throwing a party; he’s staging a small rebellion against the inevitable. The two friends are described as facing “the ultimate test” over the course of their night out, a description that suggests the evening will move far beyond simple mischief. This is not a heist movie or a comedy-of-errors, but a character-driven drama about what it means to say goodbye when you refuse to accept the script.

That tension is visible in the clip’s quieter moments. Frankie’s urgency is palpable, but so is Taylor’s exhaustion - physical and otherwise. Howells, known for his breakout work in It’s a Sin, brings a layered weariness to Taylor, a young man who has likely spent too long in that room. Bottomley, meanwhile, plays Frankie with a desperate charm, the kind of lad who believes that if he just moves fast enough, the bad news can’t catch up.

Supporting cast adds weight

The film doesn’t rest solely on the two leads. Frances Barber appears as Joan, a role that suggests a generational anchor in the story, while Seamus O’Hara takes on the part of Frank, a name that hints at a potential father figure or authority clash. Safia Oakley-Green plays Rosie, likely a romantic or grounding presence, and Sunetra Sarker rounds out the adult ensemble. Bon Cooper is credited as Young Taylor, which opens the door to possible flashback sequences or a more textured portrait of the friendship’s history.

The casting appears deliberately chosen to support the film’s emotional range. Barber and Sarker are both seasoned performers capable of holding their own against the younger leads, and their presence suggests the story will extend beyond just the two boys’ adventure. David Peel rounds out the cast as Dave, a character whose purpose remains under wraps but who could easily serve as either comic relief or a sobering reminder of what’s waiting back at the ward.

An Edinburgh-bound project with festival energy

The film’s connection to Edinburgh has been a key part of its early buzz, with the city’s reputation as a hub for bold, intimate British cinema making it a natural fit for this kind of story. The production’s decision to position the clip as an “exclusive” suggests a rollout strategy that prioritizes word-of-mouth and festival attention over wide commercial release.

At just 90 minutes, The State of Us is built for tight, focused storytelling. Gardner’s direction, glimpsed in this first clip, favors close-ups and naturalistic dialogue, letting the actors’ faces do the heavy lifting. There’s a handheld quality to the footage that keeps the viewer uncomfortably close to the action, as if we’re the third friend in the room, unsure whether to encourage Frankie or pull him back.

The film’s TMDb rating is currently a blank slate at zero votes, which only adds to its status as an emerging title awaiting discovery. There is no confirmed release date yet, but the Edinburgh angle strongly implies a premiere in the near future, likely within the festival season. For now, the exclusive clip serves as a promise: a small, raw, and deeply human story about two young men stealing a few unearned hours back from a world that’s about to change everything.

For audiences tired of loud, effects-driven blockbusters, The State of Us offers something quieter but no less urgent - a night out that matters more than any single moment in it. The question isn’t whether Frankie will get Taylor out of that room. It’s whether either of them will be ready for what comes after the laughter fades.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter