There’s no watching the clock as Gemma Creagh looks at John Crowley’s heartfelt comedy/drama We Live In Time.
What is the value of a life? Is it the time we spend on this earth or the quality of what we achieve while we’re here? These are some big questions posed by a comedy/drama that sees Andrew Garfield traipse the streets in a bathrobe, or Florence Pugh going into labour accidentally locked in a garage toilet. Powerful and life-affirming, this richly complex film tracks one couple’s journey as they navigate marriage, identity, and parenthood under the looming shadow of illness.
The non-linear narrative, a common trope of writer Nick Payne, jumps back and forth through the timeline of this love story. From first kisses to dramatic apologies, the film follows thoughtful introvert Tobias (Garfield) and talented chef Almut Brüh (Florence Pugh) as they navigate those important moments that make up a relationship together. In one beat, Tobias is destroying a neighbour’s car as they rush to the hospital to give birth to their daughter, Ella. In another, Almut is receiving the devastating news of a cancer diagnosis. Then, in a hotel room, a tearful Tobias is going through a messy divorce. On his depressing search to find a pen—and a Terry’s Chocolate Orange—to sign the papers, he’s run over. In the hospital, a concerned Almut waits for him to wake up. This is a structure that keeps a viewer guessing and plays with the notion of memory: is this the chapter of their divorce…? Are they reuniting? Nope. This is their “meet cute.”
Even the most mundane scenes pose a mystery as they begin; this world is constantly shifting. In the first act of the film, as Almut is processing the reality of this severe illness recurring, she poses the question to Tobias: what if they don’t treat this? What if she simply enjoys the time she has left? This concept of quality of life is central to their story. Plus, with the prospect of this devastating loss hanging over them both, each time the narrative flashes backwards to earlier beats in their relationship, it is weighted with meaning: their first fight, their awkward early encounters, their surrounding relationships, and their decision to conceive, along with the risks this comes with.
Now, as Almut faces her cancer treatment the second time around, she is torn. As an accomplished chef, she longs to compete in the world chef championship Bocuse d’Or. This would be her career high and she toys with the idea, being supported by her second in command Skye (Aoife Hinds). Almut is left with an impossible choice: to go for her dream in what could well be her final shot, or to consider how this will impact her treatment as well as her and Tobias’ plans to get married. Or perhaps worst of all, to use up her potential last block of time she can spend with her young daughter.
On screen, illness and romance are well-worn territories, and on paper, there’s nothing out of the ordinary with this young couple. However, what Cork Director John Crowley captures with We Live in Time is that intangible quiet and magical beauty of everyday existence. Andrew and Florence’s chemistry is so palpable and extends naturally in their warmth to the very young Grace Delaney as Ella. This all serves as the foundation of such truthful performances that honour the weight of the subject matter. Marbled with humour and warmth, this film isn’t a maudlin affair, but rather a joyous celebration of life.
We Live In Time is in cinemas 1st January 2025.
