We Live in Time is a romance drama directed by John Crowley. This love story has zero cynicism and is all the better for it. It highlights his five rules of creating cinematic chemistry: Rule One: Chemistry; Create a project stars can dig into.
Rule Two: Cast the right pair. (Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield have mad chemistry)
Rule Three: Modulate the chemistry. Don’t let it peak too soon.
Rule Four: When everyone is in the groove, shoot the film’s juicy, irresistible, exhausting. centerpiece scene.
Rule Five: In the end, all you can do is invite it and hope.
“We Live in Time” is produced by Benedict Cumberbatch and was written by Nick Payne. It is a film about a couple facing cancer, pregnancy and death with four timelines and a jumbled script. Not many movies can successfully weave two cancer diagnoses, a birth, a budding romance and the end of life into one film.
Almut, played by Florence Pugh, is an ambitious chef, former ice skating star. Tobias (Garfield) is marketer for Weetabix (worlds squarest cereal) meet in London.
They “meet” when she hits him with her car. They fall for each other, later marry and have a daughter – all the while weathering life’s storm in this love story.
Garfield, who really shines, conveys concern, anger, and deep sadness through his expressive face – tears and all. The most memorable scene is when his wife is delivering their baby in the restroom of a motorway gas station with two wide-eyed cashiers and a 999 operator calling out instructions for on how to deliver the baby.
This film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival and is scheduled to be released in the United Kingdom in January..
This is a film that looks you in the eyes as it tugs on your heartstrings. My rating for “We Live in Time” gets a 5 out of 5. You’ll enjoy this movie. Don’t miss it.
