We Live in Time
Time is a finite material. We cannot touch it, but we can feel it working in our lives at every moment. The choices we make, the actions we take, the people we converse with; it all matters in the grand scheme of our lives. “We Live in Time” is, obstinately, about moments in a relationship, but the central idea is how we use the time life gives us. This film is a wonderful representation of that.
A film like this relies on the nature of how it tells the story to accomplish its emotional goals. Here, we get scenes from the relationship of Tobias (Andrew Garfield) and Almut (Florence Pugh) rather than a straightforward narrative of how they met, how their relationship progresses, and where it ends up. That isn’t to say that screenwriter Nick Payne and director John Crowley (“Brooklyn”) are doing anything distinctive in the choices they make with their storytelling, but it’s important that we see things in the order they show them to us; in a way, it allows us to be surprised at times, as well as feel more devastated when things are revealed. More importantly, they have two actors who allow themselves to be naked onscreen (both literally and figuratively, at times); this is some of the strongest work either actor has done.
Tobias is someone who works for Wheetabix cereal; he seems to be in advertising but it’s never completely clear what he does other than he gets samples, at times. Those samples are key to helping him get in the door with Almut, an accomplished chef whom accidentally hits him with her car one night. He comes to the restaurant under the guise of a date with his wife (he still has his ring on when the accident occurs), but they are divorced. And then the relationship starts. We see their passionate physical connection, but there is a disconnect to them emotionally at times, that is, until they have a daughter. Life will never keep throwing us challenges, however, and as they go through them, we find out what matters most to each one in terms of how they spend their time.
One of the things that has been important to me in the years of my relationship with Meredith has been a work-life balance that means I accomplish what I need to accomplish for work, have time to spend with Meredith, as well as maintain my work as a critic and podcaster. This is not always an easy task with a job that sometimes takes me out-of-town (sometimes for days on end), podcast episodes to record, as well as movies to watch for review purposes. Sometimes, the first and third ones of those intersect with having time with Meredith, making the balance easier, but often they don’t, and it can be tricky to get one’s priorities in order. It is important for me to have all of those priorities in my life for a variety of reasons; namely, to find emotional balance. What happens when you know you only have a finite amount of time? What happens when one of the questions nagging at you is, “What have I done in my life?” In surprising ways, “We Live in Time” delves into those questions in a way that gets to the ways both Tobias and Almut find themselves often putting their feelings above the others, and while the resolution is not surprising, it does feel a little too pat in how it gets there. That said, this is why the film’s narrative structure matters, because emotionally, I was there with each of these characters, and I understood each choice.
Garfield and Pugh have a challenging balancing act in this film, where they are supposed to be a loving couple, as well as one that doesn’t always feel on the same wavelength. They are both insanely charismatic (although this is very much more Pugh’s film), and they develop that complicated chemistry very well. Each one has moments that are very prickly, and moments that are very tender, and I believe every one. This isn’t an idyllic view of love, but one where love is a challenge to each person, to figure out what matters, and to live their lives working towards it. I really loved this film.
