By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
The two Oscar nominees flex their range and find natural on-screen chemistry with each other that propels this relatable tale. “We Live in Time” is a romantic drama that is told in a non-linear manner that is both captivating and moving. The subject matter may be nothing new, but breaking the story into three distinct time periods brings a creative angle that focuses on the 3 major life events: the serendipitous romantic meeting, becoming first-time parents, and serious illness.
After experiencing a failed marriage, Tobias (Andrew Garfield) is in a depressing, mind-numbing fog when he inadvertently wanders into the street, getting struck by a car. Waking up in the hospital, he is greeted by the driver who hit him, Almut (Florence Pugh). As fate would have it, the connection is immediate, igniting a fast-paced romance that is meant to be.
Viewers are taken back-and-forth over their decade-spanning lives together, showing the ups and downs of their relationship as they begin a family, while balancing career ambition and illness. Tobias and Almut share a strong foundation of love that weathers a number of tests, even through the most difficult of times.
In the romantic drama genre, Irish director John Crowley made his first big splash in 2015 with “Brooklyn,” which earned three Oscar nominations including Best Picture. “We Live in Time” may not be an Oscar caliber film, but Crowley enhances the degree of difficulty by making it a non-linear production. Even though he skips around from timeline to timeline to tell this impactful story, he somehow maintains cohesion and continuity with barely noticeable transitions. Yet, he makes it quickly obvious which timeframe viewers are watching, avoiding that common frustration of losing place with the story.
Crowley successfully invests the audience into the outcomes of the story, depicting relatable scenarios packed with emotional intelligence. Despite captivating viewers with the raw feelings and soulful scenes, the director misses the opportunity to establish this as a memorable tearjerker. His ending is strangely disconnected and loses the emotional impact of the moment through a character’s self-absorbed decision. This leaves the audience dry-eyed and a bit despondent over the contradiction. However, it is still a film worth seeing, especially for its acting performances from the two stars.
After the debacle that was “Don’t Worry Darling” in 2022, Oscar nominee Florence Pugh (“Little Women”) has since bounced back with remarkable performances in “A Good Person” and “Oppenheimer.” Playing a workaholic chef who hasn’t had time for relationships, Pugh gets to spread her wings in “We Live in Time,” allowing her strongly independent character to be whisked off her feet in a loving romance. This was a very vulnerable role for her to play, not only falling in love, but also becoming a mother, and then dealing with her own mortality through a horrible disease. She handles these transitions beautifully and believably. None of this would be possible without developing real chemistry with her co-star, and it’s through that chemistry that invests the audience from start to finish.
Having a two-time Oscar nominee like Andrew Garfield (“Hacksaw Ridge” and “tick, tick… Boom!”) as that co-star certainly helps achieve solid chemistry. He provides such a heartwarming performance as that gentle soul filled with unconditional love for Pugh’s character that has viewers enamored with his selfless character. Unfortunately, his character is not as well developed as Florence’s, making his actions a bit too one-dimensional and saintly.
It may fall emotionally short from making you want to cry your eyes out, but there is enough heart and soul to make this a movie worth watching. “We Live in Time” is a common romantic drama, but through its unchronological lens, it makes it feel fresh and innovative. With rousing performances from the two stars, this is a solid date movie that both parties should enjoy.
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