Synopsis:
Almut (Florence Pugh) and Tobias (Andrew Garfield) are brought together in a surprise encounter that changes their lives. Through snapshots of their life together — falling for each other, building a home, becoming a family — a difficult truth is revealed that rocks its foundation. As they embark on a path challenged by the limits of time, they learn to cherish each moment of the unconventional route their love story has taken, in filmmaker John Crowley’s decade-spanning, deeply moving romance.
What We Thought:
We Live in Time isn’t quite the movie I was expecting it to be, but Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh have too much chemistry together for the movie to be bad. Its gimmick is overused to me and the emotional journey loses a bit of steam because of it. But it is well made and extremely well acted so I’d still recommend it to the audience who’s planning on seeing it.
I knew going into the movie that it didn’t use a straight-forward, linear timeline that it would jump around connecting the story through flashbacks and current day. Garfield and Pugh play a couple dealing with a medical issue and the film’s story is about how they meet, how their relationship develops, having a child and ultimately dealing with that medical issue. I won’t spoil that issue if you haven’t seen the trailer. The problem is, the time jumping grows tiresome quickly. It didn’t need to be completely straight-forward, but the transitions are pretty drastic at times and unless you are paying attention to Pugh’s hair throughout the film, there are times you aren’t quite sure when/where you are in their story. Other viewers might like it, but it didn’t work for me.
And it’s a shame because Garfield and Pugh are two of the better actors going today. They are believable together and their relationship and how they met works as well. She’s the quirky chef. He’s the recent divorcee. They are both attractive so all of it makes sense in the real world. As someone who’s gone through a major medical issue himself, I get that sense of humanity required to go through their situation.
I really enjoyed Brooklyn from John Crowley so I was hoping We Live in Time would be at that level. It doesn’t get there for me, but I do see it finding an audience. That audience should have their tissues ready because there are scenes that will get to you. Pugh and Garfield do everything they can, I just wish it was more linear and less jumpy.
The Nerds Templar 