‘We Live in Time’ Review: Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield Deliver Achingly Resonant Performances in a Poignant Romantic Drama

As a seasoned gamer who’s lived through multiple lives and deaths in countless virtual worlds, I can confidently say that John Crowley’s “We Live in Time” is a breathtaking journey that resonates deeply with the raw emotions of life and death. The cinematic mastery and performances by Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield are nothing short of extraordinary, transporting us into their lives with an honesty that feels almost invasive yet beautifully intimate.

In the realm of emerging acting stars, not many can boast the captivating blend of depth and charm that Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield exhibit. They showcase this unique quality brilliantly as a modern British couple navigating a medical predicament in John Crowley’s introspective film, “We Live in Time“.

At the Toronto International Film Festival, where Stephen Crowley’s 2019 drama, The Goldfinch, didn’t receive as much enthusiasm, the movie opts for an unconventional narrative style instead of a straightforward approach. It creates a more flexible structure by intertwining various time periods and personal memories, resulting in a powerful and moving collage of events.

Drawing thematic guidance, Crowley finds his muse in Lou Reed’s song “Magic and Loss (The Summation)”, particularly the lyric, “There’s a hint of magic in all things, balanced by some loss.” This serves as a compass for him as he explores the dynamic between Almut (Pugh), who is passionate and driven, and Tobias (Garfield), who is sensitive and attentive.

In their thirties, Almut and Tobias, both established individuals with distinct backgrounds and defined aspirations, decide to share a home in the green neighborhood of Herne Hill, South London. Almut runs her own restaurant, while Tobias, recently divorced, is a prominent figure in marketing for the Weetabix cereal brand.

Despite having different thoughts about starting a family – he’s eager, she’s hesitant – they eventually welcome daughter Ella (Grace Delaney) into their lives after some struggles with infertility. Their life appears perfect at first glance, but Almut is struck with a heartbreaking news: a return of ovarian cancer.

Instead of adopting the common “what’s next?” perspective, Nick Payne’s original screenplay focuses more on “how did we reach this point?” The movie breaks their narrative into three distinct time periods with different lengths and creatively blends them in a manner beyond traditional chronology. This method results in captivating/unexpected/humorous instances, such as Tobias receiving a gentle neck trim from his caring father (Douglas Hodge), Almut floating a biscuit on her protruding belly in a bathtub, and one of the film’s daringly choreographed scenes – the birth scene taking place in a gas station restroom.

The cinematography by Stuart Bentley beautifully documents every moment, providing an intimate yet non-intrusive look into the couple’s ten-year relationship. In truth, Bentley hardly needed to do more than aim and click due to the heartfelt, genuine performances delivered flawlessly by Crowley’s two exceptional leads.

There’s an achingly palpable, playful chemistry between Pugh and Garfield that leaps off the screen. But they also refuse to shy away from letting their characters’ less attractive qualities bleed through. Beneath Tobias’ soulful eyes there’s an undercurrent of passive-aggressiveness that isn’t his best feature. Meanwhile, Almut’s silky-smoky voice can’t gloss over the painful frustration the disease is causing her when she insists on taking part in a prestigious international cooking competition despite her deteriorating condition and her husband’s concerns, protesting, “I don’t want my relationship with Ella to be defined by my decline.”

As the inevitable downward spiral concludes, time resets to its normal flow, and Crowley departs with a poignant blend of sincerity and candor that pervades the entire piece. Although We Live in Time may not stir audiences as profoundly as Crowley’s Oscar-nominated Brooklyn did, few films on mortality have ever felt so powerfully life-affirming and transcendent.

2024-09-08 03:24

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