‘We Live In Time’ movie review: Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh’s chemistry is the beating heart of this tearjerker

Pugh’s Almut is the emotional anchor of the film. Through her, we experience the layered complexities of a woman’s life. Almut is not just a wife, mother or a cancer patient, but also a chef and an artist finding solace in her craft. Almut’s quiet moments in the kitchen, her hands moving methodically as she prepares a dish, become windows into her soul. Cooking has become therapy for her, maybe even rebellion, and the way she shows love. The screenplay doesn’t overstate this, making it all the more powerful. The film does a remarkable job of exploring what it means to wear many hats simultaneously.

Pugh, who showed her calibre in Midsommar and Oppenheimer, once again, demonstrates why she’s among the finest actors of her generation. Her portrayal of Almut is so grounded and authentic that you forget she is acting.

Garfield’s Tobias complements Pugh’s Almut in ways that feel achingly real. Tobias is flawed but endearing, a man grappling with his own insecurities while trying to hold onto the love he’s found. There’s a warmth to his performance, an earnestness that makes Tobias instantly relatable. Together, Pugh and Garfield create a dynamic that’s both tender and complicated. Their chemistry is the beating heart of the film, elevating what could have been just another tearjerker into something far more affecting, arresting.

A still from ‘We Live In Time’ featuring Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield

The arguments, the laughter, the quiet understanding—they all feel real, like watching two people navigate the unspoken complexities of love. It’s this authenticity that keeps the film from veering into sentimentality.

If Pugh and Garfield are the soul of the film, the editing is its backbone. The way scenes are stitched together—jumping between timelines, lingering on certain moments while rushing through others—mirrors the chaos of memory. It’s a deliberate choice that pays off, creating an emotional rhythm that keeps the audience engaged. The editing also prevents the film from becoming a slog. By playing with structure, the film breathes new life into its themes, making them feel fresh even when they’re not. Without it, the story might have felt too familiar, too well-trodden.

One of the film’s unexpected joys is its ability to find humour in even the heaviest moments. Instead of leaning into melodrama, Crowley takes a lighter approach, infusing the narrative with touches of comedy. It’s not laugh-out-loud funny, but the humour feels organic, like the jokes people make to get through difficult times.

At its core, We Live in Time is about the things we do for love and the ways we try to make sense of the time we have. It touches, albeit briefly, on the struggles of those who suffer, how they cope, how they endure. But more than that, it’s a reminder of the universal truth we so often forget: life is transient. However, the film doesn’t try to hammer this point home, it doesn’t deliver a grand, revelatory message. Instead, it quietly shows us what we already know but rarely acknowledge.

We Live in Time may not reinvent the wheel, but it doesn’t need to. Its strength lies in its ability to take a well-worn story and make it feel personal. The film’s purpose isn’t to astonish but to move—to remind us of life’s fragile beauty, the depth of love, and the significance of the bonds we cherish. It’s a movie that stays with you, not because it tells you something new, but because it shows you something true. And in a world that often feels overwhelming, sometimes that’s enough.

We Live In Time
Director – John Crowley
Movie Cast – Andrew Garfield, Florence Pugh, Lee Braithwaite
Rating – 3.5/5