A One Mann’s Movies review of “We Live in Time” (2024) (From the 2024 London Film Festival).
We’ve been here many times before: a love story set against medical issues. 1970’s Love Story did it most famously, but since then we’ve had 2014’s “The Fault in Our Stars”; 2016’s “Me Before You” and 2018’s “Irreplaceable You” to mention just three. What distinguishes this one (and I’m not going to spoil whether this film ends happily or not) is the interesting use of a fragmented timeline and also the insane chemistry between its two A-list stars, Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield.
Bob the Movie Man Rating:
“We Live in Time” Plot Summary:
We see glimpses into the love story between the award-winning chef Almut (Florence Pugh) and Weetabix IT guy Tobias (Andrew Garfield). Over the years we see triumphs, trials, tribulations and heartbreak.
Certification:
UK: NR; US: R. (At the time of writing, this film had not yet been reviewed by the BBFC. But I believe it would be a ’15’ due to sexual content and strong language.)
Talent:
Starring: Florence Pugh, Andrew Garfield, Lee Braithwaite, Adam James, Douglas Hodge, Grace Delaney, Aoife Hinds, Amy Morgan, Niamh Cusack, Kerry Godliman.
Directed by: John Crowley.
Written by: Nick Payne.
Running Time: 1h 47m.
“We Live in Time” Summary:
Positives:
- Insanely great chemistry between Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh.
- Fragmented time-lines lead to a fascinating series of snapshots on a life well loved.
- Intensely moving finale: take tissues.
Negatives:
- The non-linear timeline means that perhaps some viewers will not fully engage with the sadder aspects of the story.
- Not really a negative, more an observation, but as a viewer you get very frustrated by the pair’s lack of communication.
Review of “We Live in Time”:
Pugh and Garfield are M.F.E.O.
What really makes this movie succeed for me is the crazy amount of chemistry between Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield, thanks to them both being insanely good actors. There is a genuine warmth and humour between their engagements that never feels forced or unnatural. You genuinely laugh and smile with them as Tobias is introduced to all of Almut’s friends as “Mr Weetabix”. And as times get tough you feel nothing but heartache for them.
The fragmented timeline is a double edged sword.
One of the key differences of the film, that distinguishes it from a typical romantic drama, is the fragmented timeline. One moment they are living a nice life in the country; the next Almut is sitting on a toilet peeing on a pregnancy test. You are always left guessing as to where the story will take you next and how to piece it all together. I’m quite sure this will annoy the hell out of some viewers, but I really loved it! It does lead to one of the best cute-meets that I’ve ever seen in a film of this type.
The downside of this approach is that your emotions are taken on a bit of a choppy rollercoaster ride. Because there are dark moments in this film (due to a cancer-related theme – see Triggers below) there is no real flow down into the dark valleys and up into the sunny uplands. This didn’t particularly bother me, but I can see how some viewers (who like to work their way through a box of tissues while wallowing in sadness!) might rebel against the approach.
Marriage guidance
A frustrating aspect of the story, no different in real-life with many couples, is an appalling lack of communication and trust between the pair. At times, as a viewer, you want to bang some of their heads (particularly Almut’s) against a wall to make them come to their senses. Secrets, sometimes BIG secrets, are kept from one another leading to completely unnecessary confrontations.
An emotional finale
We all know that cancer stories have sad endings (i.e. death) – the path that many of these movies seem to choose to take – but also happy and joyful endings with remission and positive outcomes. I will not spoil which path this film takes other than to say that the finale – where, thankfully, the film does settle into a more linear approach – is very emotional. Take lots of tissues.
Triggers
As already indicated above, this is a film with a strong cancer element that might be triggering to some viewers. (There is also talk about buying and killing a dog, but for once in one of the LFF films this year, the dog does not die!!)
Summary Thoughts on “We Live in Time”
I’ve seen a lot of these type of films and I have to confess that I am a bit of a romantic at heart. Directed by “Brooklyn” director John Crowley, I found this one of the best examples of its type and I can’t wait to go and see this again with the Illustrious Mrs Movie Man laughing and sobbing by my side.
It is due for general release in the UK on January 1st 2025. Recommended.
Where to Watch it (Powered by Justwatch)
Trailer for “We Live in Time”:
The trailer is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bS0Clau5700.
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The review of We Live in Time captures the frustrating inconsistency in a film that had so much potential on paper. It’s clear from the review that while Pugh shines with her portrayal of a complex woman caught between family, illness, and ambition, the film struggles to give Garfield’s character the same depth, leaving his role feeling somewhat thin and passive. One thing that really caught my eye in the film, was the Florence Pugh’s character, especially with that standout jacket she wears. This lack of balance between the lead characters suggests a missed opportunity to explore their relationship in… Read more »
Thanks for commenting (and nice link to the jacket!). I didn’t feel the film felt unbalanced although Garfield is the more passive of the two. Both of them generally needs their heads banging together about communicating effectively.