Can’t find true love? Try hitting someone with your car. This is how A24’s newest love story starts for Almut Brühl (Florence Pugh) and Tobias Durand (Andrew Garfield). Aside from the violent meet-cute, the story isn’t anything new. One could say it feels “seen before”—because it has been. We Live in Time is a picture of humanity. Love, life, death, and (spoiler alert), time. However, cliche, what makes this movie distinct is the non-linear storytelling. The movie flashes through different periods of their relationship often and without warning. The length of Almut’s bangs helped me out when things got confusing.
The driving force of the movie is the innate fear that everything comes to an end. The characters grapple with the idea that they’re wasting time or not being present. These worries are amplified for the couple when Almut finds out her ovarian cancer has returned. She wrestles with whether to spend the next few months “passively or proactively,” as she puts it. In an earlier set scene, Tobias is slinking away from what was almost a one-night stand. When Almut stops him, he nervously says “I’ve got to get going” and she counters, “Why? Who says?” It’s a cute moment for the two of them and speaks to a returning idea in the movie: our nature to move on without looking right in front of us.
Even when I couldn’t see the intentions behind each conversation or the meaning of the scene, the chemistry was there. It was easy to fall for their nervous laughter and badly received jokes when they first met. The funny moments are honest, not hilarious but still earning a laugh. Their fights are messy and brutally human.
Where the movie truly fails is building each character outside of their relationship with each other. Tobias’s background is that he is divorced and works for Weetabix, a cereal company. He is more of the writer’s punching bag than a whole character. Almut is more fleshed out, with her illness and career ambitions being central to the plot. Still, something was lacking. Theoretically, the focus on their relationship should entice us in their romance, but instead took me out of the film.
We Live in Time ambitiously tackles love, life, mortality, and legacy. Despite its potential, though, it fell flat. The structure is engaging but at times disorienting, and doesn’t build up as I had hoped. That said, Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield are a wonderful watch with plenty of charm to keep you going. While the film may not have achieved all that it aimed to be, it’s worth your time–especially on the big screen. Get cozy with some friends (or a cone from the Capitol Creamery) while you have the chance.
Writer’s note: I highly recommend Andrew Garfield’s episode on the NYT Modern Love podcast. Titled ‘Andrew Garfield Wants to Crack Open Your Heart’ My life changed upon listening. 6/5 Falcons.
This article also appears in our November 2024 print edition.
