WE LIVE IN TIME – The Latest From Director John Crowley!

WE LIVE IN TIME is directed by John Crowley. The film stars Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh.

Tobias, a cereal corporation representative, and Almut, a former figure skater turned chef, meet under unusual circumstances while Tobias’ divorce to his former wife is pending. What unfolds is a whirlwind romance spanning a decade, but one that screeches to an abrupt halt when Almut is re-diagnosed with cancer following a scare years earlier. The wife and mother finds herself conflicted as to pursuing treatments that may or may not save her life, or to pursue her passions in her final months, leaving something noteworthy she can pass on.

I’ll come right out and say it: Cancer is one of the most overused and cliched plot devices in film. Whenever I hear there’s a film coming out that uses this as a plot point, I typically lose all interest because it’s something that’s been done a million times at the movies. While WE LIVE IN TIME is not a perfect film, it’s one of the few films in recent memory dealing with this subject matter that truly feels genuine, conveying true emotion rather than resorting to the usual tearjerker’s checklist so many films seem to utilize. Garfield and Pugh give fantastic performances throughout, even if the non-chronological narrative works more against the film than in its favor at times.

The best thing one can say about WE LIVE IN TIME is that the two leads are up for the task of bringing these characters to life, be it in moments of joy and sorrow alike. Andrew Garfield as corporate man Tobias, is someone who has his life radically changed when he enters a romance with Almut, a beautiful chef who was once pursuing figure skating. When romance and drama take center stage in a film, you need actors with chemistry who can sell these characters. As anyone watching the movie will quickly see, Pugh and Garfield do the job nicely. Despite its depressing and dramatic subject matter, I was also surprised by how funny the film was at times, and how these moments didn’t feel out of place, adding levity to the heavy-handed plot at hand. I can say without hesitation that this may very well be the best performance of either’s respective careers. Garfield in particular is a standout, able to sell his emotions and thoughts solely on facial expressions. You could give this guy a film where there’s no dialogue whatsoever, and he’d still sell it. He’s that good here.

The setting and atmosphere of the film also deserve praise. It’s so nice to, for a change, have a romantic drama set somewhere other than New York City. The English countryside is a great change of setting, and it helps to add something to the film. From a rural residence to a petrol station that ends up being the setting for an unexpected hilarious moment, WE LIVE IN TIME truly has a look and feel all its own, largely thanks to its locales featured.

The one thing that works against WE LIVE IN TIME is its overreliance on a non-chronological narrative. I don’t understand the film industry’s obsession with this gimmick, and the movie never quite uses it as well as viewers will hope. The flashbacks and time jumps are far too frequent, and the movie doesn’t bother giving the viewer any real hints as to when a time change has happened. The results are frequently confusing and jarring. A dramatic tale, especially one with this much talent on deck, need to be told in a straightforward fashion. I’m not opposed to flashbacks in films, but overdoing it to the point that it confuses the viewer is not acceptable. Narrative structure is everything.

It’s a bit predictable and the non-chronological narrative is more detrimental than beneficial, but the good still outweighs the bad in WE LIVE IN TIME, largely thanks to the great performances from Pugh and Garfield, who give their career bests. Despite the flaws, there’s certainly still enough here to recommend the film.