Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh play a couple running out of time in director John Crawley’s new romantic drama. Our We Live In Time review:
As soon as news broke that Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh would star in romantic drama We Live In Time, the internet went nuts – and for good reason. The pair are among Hollywood’s brightest young stars, and the online reaction – not to mention the film’s viral horse meme – was testament to that.
The trailers have already revealed most of the story, but let’s recap a little anyway. Almut (Florence Pugh) and Tobias (Garfield) fall in love quickly and passionately. Their relationship goes from casual to serious to even more serious when Almut is diagnosed with cancer.
From this alone, We Live In Time sounds awfully cliched. Some of it is, but Crowley (and screenwriter Nick Payne) smartly tells the story in non-linear fashion, beating us to the punch of guessing where this is all going. Almut and Tobias’ love story unfolds and unravels at the same time, creating a deeply devastating experience. Trust me, you’ll need tissues.
As expected, Pugh and Garfield are sensational. The pair have real chemistry and create a believable relationship, complete with all the little nuances and arguments you’d expect. Pugh especially taps into something really special as Almut struggles with the idea of simply being someone’s dead mum. If you or someone close to you has experienced cancer, We Live In Time will have an extra layer of meaning to it and it nails that, too.
Like All Of You, We Live In Time is disarmingly sincere about love and connection. There’s something appealing and impressive about a film that’s this honest and unashamed to be so romantic. Romances often get dismissed as a genre not as impactful as serious dramas, but We Live In Time leans into the romance and even its inherent cheesiness.
While Crowley’s film is definitely a tearjerker by design, it’s also so much funnier than you might expect. A scene in which Pugh gives birth is perhaps one of the funniest things I’ve seen this year, not to mention the filmmakers manage to sneak in some flirting involving Weetabix and bowel movements. Let me tell you, this writer was swooning in her seat.
Crowley also has an eye for detail, making the smaller moments count. The director understands that romance is rarely about the grand gestures as Hollywood tries to convince us, but about the little things. In one of the film’s most romantic scenes, Almut, about to give birth, and Tobias get in the bath together and Tobias pulls out a huge box of Jaffa cakes. It’s charming scenes like this that really sell the relationship here.
If there’s something bringing We Live In Time Down, it’s how conventional it is. If you take away the performances and the neat structure, the story itself presents little in terms of its theme of time. The story can’t quite match the power and commitment of its lead actors, who elevate the entire thing. What should come across as melodramatic is rendered completely heartfelt and genuine by Garfield and Pugh. Despite exploring familiar, worn themes, We Live In Time is well worth your time – and tears.
We Live In Time is screening as part of BFI London Film Festival and will be in UK cinemas 1st January 2025.