We Live in Time features Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh’s best work.

“It’s okay not to be okay,” a doctor tells Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh’s characters in their latest movie, We Live in Time. Very few dramas have gotten under my skin as A24’s We Live in Time did. Luckily, they had tissues ready at the screening. Horse memes aside, it is one of the best dramas of the year.

This is thanks to a strong screenplay from Nick Payne and John Crowley’s direction. Together, they push We Live in Time away from any genre clichés that come with stories with similar subject matter.

Over two hours, We Live in Time follows the relationship of Tobias (Andrew Garfield) and Almut (Florence Pugh). From their meet cute — aka Almut running Tobias over — to having their first child and everything in between, the movie is unafraid to show the good, bad, and ugly of a relationship.

Even with how heavy it can be, We Live in Time has an undeniable charm. Thank the lead performances from Garfield and Pugh, both of whom play to their strengths and deliver their most vulnerable performances yet, for that.

We Live in Time review

Most fans are aware of Almut’s cancer diagnosis heading into We Live in Time. While that is a driving force in the back of the plot, most of the movie jumps between various timelines.

The nonlinear narrative helps break up the heaviness of the story, filling in the blanks of Tobias and Almut’s relationship. This allows it to bypass the cliché relationship montage in most romance movies.
A still from We Live in Time courtesy of A24.
Their complete arc of falling in love, having fights, and eventually having a child is portrayed without sacrificing any of them. It would have been easy for We Live in Time to focus on Almut’s cancer or the honeymoon phase. Instead, they give each timeline its moment.

That is not to say it is not a tad jarring. I was unaware of this narrative vehicle heading into the movie. Once you settle in, though, it operates on a high level.

Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh’s finest hours

Most praise will go to Garfield and Pugh, who both deserve it. Throughout his career, Garfield has shown his ability to be the adorably gawky dude in a relationship — look no further than his Spider-Man portraya — and still excels in that role.

Tobias is a little different than his past roles. Instead of being an awkward teenager, he is a man still living at his dad’s when we first meet him in We Live in Time.

As in any relationship, there are fights. One scene towards the end is up there with Marriage Story for the best arguments in recent cinematic history. When you can see both perspectives and cannot easily choose a side, you know it is effective.

A still from We Live in Time courtesy of A24.
Pugh is always at her best when in deeply intimate movies. The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is lucky to have her as Yelena Belova, but she outgrew the franchise long before she joined it.

Almut is not simply a damsel in distress throughout We Live in Time. She is a renowned chef and a caring mother who struggles to let go of her career, even after she is diagnosed with cancer for a second time.

Even the strongest can be weak — circling back to the above quote — and Pugh drives that home. In a perfect world, Garfield and Pugh would receive Oscar nominations for their work. Unlike most dramas, We Live in Time is not contrived.

The theme of time

As the title suggests, time plays a big part in We Live in Time. From the amount we spend with loved ones to the limited amount we have in our lives, the theme is a loaded concept.

Many have been affected by cancer and will relate to the plotline, but the way it handles time is just as powerful. I bet that Tobias and Almut would pause time if they could, as Adam Driver does in Megalopolis.

Falling in love is a magical experience. Next thing you know, you are engaged and getting ready for a wedding. For most, that period feels like it flies by as fast as We Live in Time.

What we do with our limited time on Earth is something Payne is interested in. Perhaps he and Crowley are worried about their own legacies after they pass. It will make you think long after the credits roll.

The ending is devastating. No spoilers, but the ending of We Live in Time is handled maturely. If you did not use your We Live in Time-branded tissues at this point, you will need them here.