Chethma De Mel, Jadetimes Staff
C. J. De Mel is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Entertainment News
We Live in Time, by director John Crowley, throws the viewers head over heels into the emotional roller coaster of Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield's characters while navigating love in their 30s. The movie nicely lays out all those pressures of time the average person at this stage may feel: pressure from careers, relationships, family responsibilities, and how there seems to be no more time left. Crowley brings viewers into the personals, often humorous highs and lows of these two characters as their relationship unfolds.
The movie plays with time both literally and metaphorically: relentless use of clocks, stopwatches, and references to time itself; then, there is the jumping back-and-forth kind of storytelling where memories and moments in time bleed into one another and define their relationship-the first meeting setting a tone. Almut hits Tobias with her car-a good enough beginning for what could properly be called an eccentric, less conventional romance. Even with his visible injuries, their first conversation in a hospital shows that he is immediately fascinated with her. That would be the "meet-cute" version, where the randomness of life and love is the big factor.
The film strikes a perfect balance between humor and emotion, more so on how the two are taking the impending parenthood. Of course, included is a standout birth-of-child scene that is drolly funny and emotionally charged. Yet, despite such intense moments, We Live In Time doesn't let its audiences drown with it in tears, which could be a jolting surprise for those who get used to heartbreaking tales of love.
Nick Payne's screenplay is moving at times yet occasionally has holes, not least in the history for Pugh's character Almut. Now 34, she is a successful Michelin-starred chef who had an accomplished athletic past, but seems unnatural when reacting to certain pivotal moments, as in Tobias's asking her about children. Throughout the film, her actions may start post-viewing arguments as many will find this character's actions befuddling. Moreover, their child is never developed enough throughout the novel; he is just a plot device.
Despite these minor flaws, the highlight of the movie is Pugh and Garfield's chemistry. Their acting is charming; a mix of appeal, vulnerability, and humor that puts viewers into their relationship. This is not We Live In Time trying to make anyone cry, but it truly succeeds in portraying a poignancy that can be relatable with love, life, and the ticking clock.
This 107-minute, R-rated, A24-released film is a movie for which the language is most noticeably rough. The movie itself isn't an emotional wrecking ball, but it shines with genuinely magnetic performances from its leads.
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