[“We Live in Time” trailer music fades in]
I watched “We Live in Time” opening weekend and now, nearly a month later, I still feel the impact of this film on my life. The story of Almut and Tobias, played by Pugh and Garfield, respectively, is one during which you can’t help but laugh, cry and, simply, feel. Garfield and Pugh embody the raw vulnerability of their characters in a way that made it impossible not to feel connected to their aspirations, fears, desires, and convictions.
“We Live in Time” released in American theaters Oct. 11. The A24 film starring Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh follows Tobias, a recently divorced corporate employee, and Almut, a chef and restaurant owner, after they meet in a chance encounter — when Almut accidently hits Tobias with her car.
[“We Live in Time” clip]
“We Live in Time” is told through a nonlinear narrative structure that strings together separate moments from Almut and Tobias’ lives, from the surprise encounter that brings the two together to the birth of their daughter. In a series of vignettes from the couple’s life, director John Crowley paints a poignant picture of what it means to love, lose and prevail through hardship.
[“We Live in Time” clip]
“We Live in Time” is still playing in theaters. The film made over $232,000 opening weekend and $18 million in the box office worldwide. It is currently ranked 78% on Rotten Tomatoes and 7.3 on IMDb. Since its release last month, the film has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from audience members.
Here’s Medill sophomore Ridhima Kodali on the movie’s themes:
RIDHIMA KODALI: I thought the movie was beautiful. I think you don’t see these types of movies that are very raw and real, I feel like — and this movie was like a true testament to that, and also about, like true love. Not just with romantic partners, but also the love you have with family.
Garfield and Pugh deliver a range of witty, thought-provoking, heartbreaking lines throughout the story. The director really delves into the characters’ emotionality, engaging viewers in a more nuanced exploration of how people imbue their lives and the lives of those around them with meaning.
KODALI: I thought Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh both did amazing. I think there was a monologue that Florence Pugh had in the movie, and I thought that was one of the best parts of the movie and I think that really moved the story in a whole another direction.
At the film’s emotional climax, Pugh delivers a tear-jerking monologue about the pressure to be extraordinary during one’s lifetime. She embodies the stress many women face in achieving a legacy they hope extends beyond motherhood.
[“We Live in Time” clip]
Weinberg freshman Laurien Palmer says she was also blown away by the actress’ performance.
LAURIEN PALMER: I think Florence Pugh is just able to unravel so many layers in such like a complex character and in such sort of a shorter length film, like there’s only two hours where they accomplish so much in those two hours, you also get to see sort of a family dynamics between Florence pew and Andrew Garfield’s character and their daughter, and, you know, sort of like the real issues that go on in a marriage, especially when one of them is suffering from such a fatal disease, and you know, they only have a certain amount of time to live.
In contrast to the film’s more serious focus on what it’s like to navigate terminal illness, there’s also some moments of intense joy and humor.
PALMER: The gas station scene is so good. I mean, if you haven’t seen it, like, please go watch. It’s the funniest moment in the film. It’s so chaotic. And I’ve never, I’ve never seen a birth executed like that before. And you, yeah, you just have to see it. I can’t even like do it justice. But it’s, it’s so funny. It’s such an iconic part of the film.
Communication sophomore Miranda Campbell says “We Live in Time” is reminiscent of other romantic comedy dramas that play with the structure of chronology.
MIRANDA CAMPBELL: It’s very much like a modern rom com, like, very similar to, like, “About Time,” if you’ve ever seen that, I thought that, like, I would have liked to get to know the characters more. Like, obviously, I really love Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield, but I really wanted to, like, know who they were outside of their relationship. I thought it was very interesting the way that they do, like, these time jumps, and it was really well made. I thought it was great.
In the last moments of the film, we’re given a glimpse of the legacy that extends beyond the characters and movie itself. “We Live in Time” is about the beauty of fleeting moments—of the ephemeral nature of existence and the lasting impact of these experiences.
“We Live in Time” urges us to re-examine how or with whom we spend our finite presence on earth.
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For WNUR News, I’m Sydney Gaw.
Film Clips: “We Live in Time,” directed by John Crowley.
