TIFF Review: ‘We Live in Time’ is a Standard Romance with Well-Cast Leads

Every love story is unique, even if there may be some commonalities across many relationships. We Live in Time tells one such tale, presented out of order at different stages of the courting and family-building process. Its construction – in support of its title – posits a fresh spin on the way that love stories are typically told, extracting some of the best and worst moments and then putting them on a circular timeline that speaks to the enduring emotions that persist throughout and the power of nostalgia. It’s not a particular groundbreaking or evocative approach, but the romance it frames is sufficiently sweet and worthwhile on its own.

Almut (Pugh) is a chef with her own restaurant and Tobias (Garfield) works in IT for a major brand. Their first meeting isn’t exactly smooth, when a bathrobe-wearing Tobias, having just procured a pen from a store to sign his divorce papers, is hit by a car driven by none other than Almut. As they get to know each other, they explore important conversations like whether they want to have children and how they want to spend their time, a topic that becomes even more critical when Almut receives a devastating diagnosis and has to contemplate a difficult and lengthy treatment. In any other film, the fact that they do decide to have a baby might be a spoiler, but that’s not the case for this film’s variable timeline since it’s established early on even if it doesn’t come first chronologically.

We Live in Time comes from director John Crowley, known for the Oscar-nominated Brooklyn, and screenwriter Nick Payne, creator of the TV series Wanderlust. That it’s being distributed by A24 after a plum world premiere slot at the Toronto International Film Festival may surprise some audiences since there’s nothing particularly inventive or noteworthy about the production. Jumping back and forth through time does achieve some of the desired effect, but it also creates confusion about where things are in the course of the relationship and what already seen events have yet to occur.

Fortunately, ordinary as it may be, this is still a perfectly decent film. Pugh and Garfield have great chemistry, portraying similar roles to the ones they’ve had in past projects. Pugh is self-assured and blunt, with Almut rightfully confident about the work that she does and insistent on having a say in what the rest of her life – however long or short it may be – will look like. Garfield is typically nervous, gentle, and kind as Tobias, perhaps too much so for Almut’s liking. While their unconventional meet-cute happens midway through the film, their attraction is clear throughout, even as Almut pushes herself to new competitive heights while facing declining health and Tobias projects what he wants for Almut on her despite her telling him how she really feels.

This film is most potent when it finds lightheartedness in the more intimate moments its main characters experience. Almut responds defensively and angrily when Tobias tries to have a conversation about wanting children, and Tobias later calls her out for being mean. This is how real people interact, and though there’s a whimsical nature to how this story is presented, those familiar flickers of ordinary partners hashing things out make them relatable. It’s easy to root for this couple even if luck isn’t always on their side, and seeing so many excerpts from their lives in seemingly random order makes their love feel eternal even if it obviously can’t be. Pugh and Garfield possess the necessary star power to elevate this film to the next level, a worthwhile if not necessary meditation on relationships and time.

Movie Rating: 7/10

Awards Buzz: While both Pugh and Garfield are past Oscar nominees, don’t expect them to be honored again for this film, despite the backing of A24.