This beautiful and sensitive romantic drama won’t fail to melt the hardest of hearts.
If there is a film that captures the messiness, complicated, wonderful and sadness of life more perfectly than We Live in Time then I have yet to see it.
For the theatre fans among you reading this, it has the feel of the musical The Last Five Years to it in the way in which it jumps forwards and backwards in time, exploring a relationship through the highs and lows (here involving a cancer diagnosis) to offer a very grounded and humane interpretation of the impact of getting a serious health diagnosis from two different perspectives.
Written by Nick Payne, We Live in Time follows the life experiences of Almut Brühl (Florence Pugh) and Tobias (Andrew Garfield) who have a distinctly unique meet cute scene, taking us from the development of their relationship to becoming parents to having to deal with the devastating cancer diagnosis. By not telling the story from start to finish but jumping around in time, Nick Payne’s screenplay allows the audience to really understand and develop their own feelings for the characters – even if at first the time jumps backwards and forwards can take a little time to get used to.
The film is at its best when it is at its quietest: scenes such as Almut getting the news that her cancer has returned or the way in which the couple simply enjoy time together quietly in the bath ensures that John Crowley’s (who is always good at getting to the depths of human emotion and choices that we have to make as seen in ‘Brooklyn’) film is down to earth, humane and relatable to anyone who has had similar experiences in their relationship. Nothing here feels forced.
Through every aspect of this film there is such care and attention to detail that it is hard not to feel emotionally invested in every scene of the film, with the ending being beautifully handled. For those looking for something in which there is more dramatic will need to look elsewhere as this is a very understated film that takes its time to charm and win the audience over – but it is worth sticking with.
At the centre of it all Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield deliver beautiful performances, with their approaches to life and decisions coming from two very different places (such as a particularly heart wrenching scene in which Tobias confronts Almut’s decision to keep working in the wake of the return of her cancer is a powerful moment). The way in which they deliver the conflict is never overblown, while you believe the nature of their character’s relationship. Pugh in particular really drives the emotional core of the story – you get a real sense of her desire to keep fighting for her life and not to let cancer define it. Garfield is able to communicate the emotions of his character perfectly even without using words and conveys his character’s vulnerability well – but it really is Pugh who gives the strongest performance.
A beautifully sensitive film that packs a punch in all the right places, We Live in Time has plenty to recommend it for those who love a understated romantic drama.
By Emma Clarendon
We Live in Time is out now in cinemas.
Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️