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We Live in Time Movie Review

We Live in Time is a 2024 romantic drama film directed by John Crowley and starring Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh. It’s an expectedly moving and well acted, but clichéd and flawed film.

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“The chocolate orange was pronounced dead at the scene“

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Almut and Tobias are brought together by a surprise encounter that changes their lives. As the tragedy of cancer is brought into their lives, they will learn to cherish every moment during the little time that they got left. This is one of those movies that are meant to make you weep and it succeeds in that to a degree. While its treatment of cancer is very grounded, especially the much-needed inclusion of the fact that chemotherapy is actually terrible for you, I wished for the movie to treat this tragedy in a subtler way.

Basically, this is one of those films that is propelled by a very touching score and emotional scenes that are obviously meant to tug at your heartstrings. I did find that music to be quite moving and beautiful. And yes, those scenes toward the end got to me a bit. But still, emotionally manipulative storytelling was evident throughout this movie that would have been more emotional had it not been so obviously crafted with the intention to make you cry.

We Live in Time is very much that kind of film that lies heavily on the shoulders of its actors to carry it through the finish line, which is exactly what these lovely, talented actors did. Florence Pugh was terrific and believable in the role of the ambitious and brave Almut. I liked her a lot. But it is Andrew Garfield who stole the movie from her due to a more likable character that he got to play and a very emotional, wonderful performance that he gives. This is another stellar work from such an underrated performer.

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The movie has that non-linear structure that hindered its standard narrative more than it elevated it. I didn’t have any issues following the plot, but I did find that whiplash element of jumping back and forth in time not as emotionally effective as the director clearly intended. Crowley is not a particular great director as was the case with this flick that is hurt by his frustrating choices. The dialogue is so good, the acting is so superb and the movie is so charming and old-fashioned in its romantic overtones that it’s a shame that it wasn’t better made and edited.