‘The State of Us’ is a warm but familiar British buddy drama about estranged childhood friends Frankie and Taylor, who reconnect when Taylor is terminally ill with cancer. Variety’s review finds its blend of Yorkshire social realism, sentimental plotting and youthful rebellion uneven, but says the central performances make the film emotionally engaging.

Samuel Bottomley plays Frankie, an irresponsible young man shaped by childhood loss, while Callum Scott Howells plays Taylor, who is living in a hospice; Frankie breaks him out for a night of misbehaviour and overdue emotional confrontation. The debut feature from Ollie Gardner and Jake Harvey premiered in Edinburgh’s main competition, and the critic expects it to suit smaller festivals and streaming or broadcast audiences more than cinemas.