Casting Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield in a A24 cancer-tragedy romance drama will undoubtedly get audiences into the cinema, but, unfortunately, We Live In Time has little to offer beyond its great casting and some attractive arthouse shots.
We Live in Time follows award-winning chef Almut (Pugh) and Weetabix HQ employee Tobias (Garfield) as the pair turn an inconvenient encounter- a car accident- into a beautifully sweet and soppy soul-entwining relationship. Using a fly-on-the-wall approach, director John Crowley tells a warming love story that is largely driven by the exceptional performances from Pugh, Garfield and Lee Braithwaite, who plays fellow chef Jade. The stellar performances are needed; disappointingly, the script is lackluster, the non-linear narrative annoyingly unnecessary, and the story’s sadness is unexceptional.
Visually, We Live in Time has a lot of beauty. Every shot engrains the warmth of what is undeniably an enjoyable, bittersweet love story. Paired with the emotions and intimacy shared between Pugh and Garfield, the film is a nice, sad experience. However, the exceptional casting does a lot of the heavy lifting; if not for Pugh and Garfield, the film would fall flat. The story itself has little to offer, other than a few wobbly chin moments which can also be largely accredited to the cast.
In spite of the unexpected shortcomings, We Live in Time is fine viewing. The high expectations were not met, but the film is still a pleasurable and pretty watch.
Feature image credit: StudioCanal/A24
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