We Live In Time may carry the A24 label and revolve around a cancer-centered plot, but don’t let that fool you, it’s light and easygoing. Starring the very talented Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh, this film, directed by John Crowley (known for Brooklyn and the less successful The Goldfinch), presents a breezy romance that flits across three timelines: their initial meeting, their pregnancy, and Pugh’s character’s battle with cancer, all told in a distracting non-linear fashion.
The film centers on the main couple seizing the moment and living life to the fullest until the inevitable day comes when they can’t. However, it shies away from fully exploring its serious themes at every opportunity. The cancer storyline gets sidetracked by lighter conflicts, such as a cooking competition, while the attempt to address differing views on parenthood is resolved off-screen in a rather cowardly manner. Combined with minor, forced annoyances like secrets between the couple and the coincidences surrounding their meeting, this results in a missed opportunity for a more profound exploration of life’s fragility and personal choices.
Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh are, unsurprisingly, very good in their roles, doing much of the heavy lifting. Their chemistry is excellent, allowing them to sell even the more saccharine moments, making us as anxious as they are when faced with the prospect of having a baby in a very unusual place. Ultimately, We Live In Time serves more as a showcase for the leads’ chemistry than as a compelling examination of its themes. While the film is always pleasing, enhanced by a pretty score that serves as a pleasant backdrop, it ultimately offers little for the audience to reflect on beyond its attractive surface.