Film: We Live In Time

I don’t know why I’m initially adverse to love stories. Maybe it’s because love stories or romantic movies focus on the fairy tale aspect of relationships. True love stories, to me, however, are the ones that show the messiness of relationships. We aren’t perfect humans, and accepting each other’s flaws is where true love lives. Choosing someone to be a part of the chaos of life is the most beautiful thing, and that is exactly what We Live In Time, the new film directed by John Crowley and written by Nick Payne, portrays.

We Live In Time follows the love story of Tobias (Andrew Garfield) and Almut (Florence Pugh). A chance encounter brings them together, and they spend decades navigating their live together. It’s full of the glory of love and the misery of life. It’s a breathtaking romance.

It’s hard to talk about Tobias and Almut’s love story without giving away spoilers, which I do not want to do. What is important, though, is the way things play out. It’s not a love story that shows only the highlights of their life together, it is quite the opposite. We Live In Time shows the heartache, the confusion, the awkwardness, the things that make life rich. 

While you might not have gone through situations similar to Tobias and Almut’s, you still feel connected to them. You see yourself in their struggles. The blending of two lives into one is magical, but it’s also difficult. We Live In Time doesn’t shy away from that. It feels real, which is refreshing for a major motion picture. It’s raw and unpolished, just like what you would find in real life. For those who have been I love, that it’s as if you feel seen. You are seen because your complicated and at times frustrating love story is worthy of cinematic exploration.

In a way, you feel like a voyeur because you are witnessing private moments between a couple. It was intimate, yet universal. Their love story feels organic. That’s because the chemistry between Garfield and Pugh, for lack of a better word, is electric. I wouldn’t be surprised if they go down in history as one of the best film couples ever to grace the silver screen. There is a respect between these two actors. The respect to give each other the space to explore their characters, to interact with what comes from that space. They truly are reacting to what they are experiencing, not waiting to respond. That’s one reason We Live In Time was mesmerizing, you couldn’t take your eyes off these two.

This is interesting when you consider the creativity that was utilized when presenting the timeline. We Live In Time uses a unique presentation of time, at moments it shows their romance out of order. In my opinion, it’s an interesting tool to use in a love story, but it fits this story. It’s not a heavy restructure, just key moments are placed out of order. I believe those moments add more to the story than if they were shown in linear time. You see the direct result of the past pressed up to the future, you witness first hand the impact the situation had on their lives. It makes you realize that every interaction, no matter the grandeur, is important in our lives. Everything has its importance in relationships, be it romantic or platonic or familiar.

This movie hits you in unexpected ways. It grabs ahold of your heart and squeezes, causing you to feel love in its truest form. I don’t know why I was ever hesitant to see this film, but We Live In Time is one of the best films of the year. It’s beautiful, it’s devastating, and it’s powerful. It’s worth seeing, multiple times.

We Live In Time opened nationwide on Friday, October 18, 2024.

Written by Lisa M Mejia
Images provided by A24