4 out of 5
While watching We Live In Time, I was reminded of the line used by the late Dame Maggie Smith in 2015's The Second Best Marigold Hotel; "There's no present like the time" - a twist on the old adage. And time really is at the heart of this film. For a start, the story is told in a non-linear fashion, moving back and forth across a roughly ten year period as the story unfolds. Time becomes a theme again when one of the central characters receives a terminal diagnosis in a classic romance-ends-in-disaster cinematic trope where a decision must be made as to what to do with your remaining time. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
John Crowley, known for adapting Colm Tóibín’s romantic novel Brooklyn, is back with another emotional feature, starring two successful A-list actors: Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh. We Live in Time follows the story of Tobias (Garfield), an employee of Weetabix, who is preparing to sign his divorce papers when he meets chef and restaurant owner Almut (Pugh). It is the end of one chapter and the exciting start of another, as he is handed a second chance at love when Almut crashes into his life, literally. For Almut’s part, it’s only fair after running someone over with your car to take them out for an apologetic meal. Sparks fly and the rest is history.
Crowley and editor Justine Wright use a non-linear structure to tell Tobias and Almut’s story. We jump between various timelines in their relationship. From the aforementioned first meeting and a honeymoon period of courtship to suburban bliss as young parents to adorable daughter Ella, and finally, to navigating the heartbreakingly tough and challenging nature of a cancer diagnosis. The lack of a sequential narrative highlights the importance of all moments in their story, including the highs and the lows. Sometimes I get confused by this type of storytelling but both director and writer waeve the narrative with sufficient clues to help viewers like me keep up.
What quickly becomes clear is that this is Almut’s story, not Tobias’s, whose entire focus and motivation revolves around Almut. Whilst doing this has the unfortunate result of Garfield not being able to stretch his characterisation beyond “sad, supportive partner” (which he nails), the focus on Almut and her goal to achieve a professional accolade has the alternate benefit of addressing what potentially is a common consideration of those experiencing terminal illness; how they will be remembered and how will they spend their remaining time.
In some respects, We Live in Time does strum the formulaic tones of a generic tearjerker, but Nick Payne’s writing fosters a good balance between humour and sadness and manages to invoke the right amount of sentiment without becoming too saccharine.
Both leads are in top form and Andrew Garfield's ability to convey a sense of melancholy while expressing compassion, pain, and sadness without words is truly exceptional. I've always been curious about what a lovestruck Andrew would be like in real life, and I believe I witnessed it in this movie. Florence Pugh delivers another world-class performance and the synergy between the two actors was flawless. I must mention too that the script was beautifully crafted with silent moments that flowed between the characters enriching their conversations. I also appreciate how John Crowley's direction focused not on the cancer but on their lives together and the choices they made to make the most of their situation. When I saw the trailer, I thought, "another cancer movie," but this is not that at all. It is a beautiful love story grounded in reality, showing us that in a world where beautiful moments can be fleeting, the key to prolonging them lies in how we perceive our circumstances. We should embrace the idea that we live on in the memories of those whose love made life meaningful. There is no present like the time.
Bring tissues.
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