Movie Review: ‘We Live in Time’

Opening in limited theaters on October 11th (with a wide release on October 18th), ‘We Live in Time’ is the new film from director John Crowley, who has been behind the likes of ‘Brooklyn’ and the widely-panned adaptation of ‘The Goldfinch.’

This latest project dials back on the scale to focus on one couple as they hit various goal markers in their relationship, from meet cute (actually motor vehicle accident), through arguments and reunion, parenthood and engagement.

Is ‘We Live in Time’ worth your time?

The biggest, and, until you settle in and let your brain get a handle on it, gimmick of the movie is its nonlinear nature; we follow Andrew Garfield’s wet-eyed Tobias and Florence Pugh’s ambitious, driven Almut through their shared story, but the pieces are chopped up and rearranged like a cook trying something new with a recipe (which happens to be Almut’s specialty as a chef).

Yet the whole story doesn’t always justify such narrative invention, since this is essentially a schmaltzy story of love and loss dressed up in edgier indie clothing. But the central performances make up for that.

Script and Direction

As mentioned, Nick Payne’s (‘The Last Letter from Your Lover, ‘The Sense of an Ending’) screenplay looks to play with time and mood so as to keep us on our toes and feel forced to fill in the narrative gaps. It’s just that the pieces are pretty predictable, and don’t really feel like the trick was necessary. Still, the words on the page do lead to some seriously affecting acting work.

Crowley, who has proved he can handle deep emotion without dipping too far into smug sentimentality doesn’t always avoid the same trap here, but eventually he starts to win you over, with help from Garfield and Pugh, who both shine, and a naturalistic feel to the central connection.

Performances

The film is almost completely given over to the two main cast members, with pretty much everyone else just living props there to help move the story along.

Florence Pugh as Almut

Pugh is the luminous center of the movie, and not just because her headstrong chef is the real driver of the story as opposed to her co-star’s more passive impact upon it. Pugh rarely puts a foot wrong playing Almut, who yearns to make an impact on the world through her cooking and will occasionally put that first ahead of all else.

She’s a much more complicated and nuanced character than her partner, and it’s the sort of role where Pugh really digs down and finds the layers. Almut is loving, sweet, focused, selfish, playful and stern at different points in the story, but she’s never less than captivating, even when struggling to give birth in a gas station toilet.

Andrew Garfield as Tobias

Garfield’s is a much more low-key character; we see him as a damaged man in the middle of a divorce whose ego is bruised. And then his whole body is bruised when Almut accidentally runs him over in the movie’s memorable first meeting.

The trouble with Tobias is that he’s so painfully withdrawn in his own way, aside from with the woman he loves. Obsessed with keeping notes, he’s clearly entranced and in incredible love with Almut, but that, beyond some moments with his father, is all we really see of him.

He’s her support system, her sounding board and while Garfield does manage to find more of his inner life (one scene, where the couple discuss whether Almut will go for another round of cancer treatment or they’ll just enjoy the time they have left, is a masterclass in facial acting from Pugh, but particularly Garfield.)

He’s better than the mopey character on the page deserves, adding some real depth to a relatively shallow figure.

Supporting cast

There are a few other actors who register; mostly those who are in close contact to the couple –– Douglas Hodge is entertaining as Tobias’ sensitive architect father, who has a great relationship with his son (and Hodge has superb father-son energy with Garfield). Ditto Lee Braithwaite as Jade, Almut’s Sous-chef, who is recruited to compete alongside her in a big cookery competition that ends up a source of drama between the couple.

Final Thoughts

There will definitely be a feeling of familiarity while watching ‘We Live in Time’ –– there have been any number of movies that track a relationship over time and a wealth of stories about people dealing with cancer diagnoses and everything that comes with that. This new example won’t exactly move the needle for most people, even with its attempt to maintain interest by slicing up the story.

Still, as an acting showcase for two of the UK’s finest performers, it’s certainly a welcome vehicle for Pugh and Garfield, and if its attempts to pluck at the heartstrings are sometimes too obvious, the eventual power of the tale does sneak up on you.

‘We Live in Time’ receives 6.5 out of 10 stars.