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Culture > Entertainment

Get The Tissues Ready: A Review Of The New A24 Film, ‘We Live In Time’

Adamari Ruelas
The opinions expressed in this article are the writer’s own and do not reflect the views of Her Campus.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at CU Boulder chapter.

Ever since I  first heard about the movie We Live In Time, I knew I had to watch it. I mean c’mon, a romance movie starring Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh? Sign me up! Finally, during its opening weekend, I was able to go watch it and– as cliche as it sounds– this movie truly changed my life. So here’s my honest review and if you plan on watching it, remember to pack tissues. 

This is the official spoiler warning, if you haven’t watched the movie yet or don’t want to be spoiled, please stop reading now and return after you’ve watched the movie. 

There are a lot of things that I adore about this movie. From the car crash meet-cute scene between Garfield and Pugh, who play Tobias and Almut in the film, to the raw and human experiences emulated  through  the course of the movie, We Live In Time is one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen. 

One of my favorite parts of the film is when Tobias is helping Almut when she is pregnant and in labor. The way  he jumps to her side is an admirable quality, and something that I think most women look for when searching for a life partner. When it’s revealed later in the movie that at the start of their relationship  she didn’t  want to have kids but he did, it makes his actions all the more important. She changed her life for him so the least he could do is be the best partner for her while navigating pregnancy— especially since she gave birth in a petrol station bathroom. 

Another one of my favorite aspects of this film is the formatting of the story. To expand on this point, if you’ve ever seen the 2019 adaptation of Little Women (also starring Florence Pugh), it’s very similar to the structure of that movie. The timeline of Almut and Tobias’ life together isn’t laid out in chronological order; instead,the audience’s view of their life journey toggles back and forth between the past and the present. The meeting isn’t the first thing we see, instead,the first  chronological event shown is them living a peaceful life in the English countryside with their daughter, Ella. 

Now, I don’t want to spoil the movie too much, but a major part of this film is Almut’s battle with cervical cancer.It’s the main reason why she changed her thoughts on becoming a mother, and it’s also what pushes her to compete in the Bocuse d’Or since she doesn’t want to die without leaving a legacy behind for her daughter to be proud of. I think the movie does a fantastic job portraying the effect that cancer has on an individual, both physically and mentally. And as heart wrenching as it is, I also think the movie does a great job showing how once someone is gone, it’s the little things about them that begin to matter the most to someone they left behind. 

This movie was one of the saddest films I’ve seen to date, but I also recognize the importance of  the message the movie is conveying to the audience. Although Almut’s death is tragic and sad, at least she was able to do one last thing for herself. Which, for Almut, was competing in the Bocuse d’Or— which she does phenomenally  even with her health rapidly declining. I love how at the end of it all, Almut is able to leave this lifetime as not only  a cancer patient but as an award-winning chef, a loving mother, and a loved partner. I also love how strong Tobias and Ella are after losing Almut. I think having the end scene be Tobias  teaching Ella the best way to crack eggs, something that Almut had taught him, is a beautiful way to end this movie. 

We Live In Time is probably my favorite movie of 2024 and I cannot recommend it enough to everyone. No matter what path of life you are currently on, this movie shines a light on what it is to be a human. Every second of our lives matter, and we need to focus on who we are at the given moment and not worry too much on the past or the future, but to live in time. 

Adamari Ruelas

CU Boulder '26

Adamari Ruelas is a contributing writer for the Her Campus chapter at CU Boulder. Her job within Her Campus is to write at least two articles a month, one contributing to a theme week. Outside of Her Campus, Adamari is a first-generation college student who is currently a Junior at the University of Colorado Boulder, majoring in English Creative Writing. During her spring semester of freshman year, Adamari studied abroad in London, wanting to learn about different cultures while also being able to study in a Literature-rich city. Adamari also an intern at the College of Arts and Sciences Magazine at CU Boulder where she write articles based on faculty research and expertise. In her free time, Adamari enjoys reading and writing, at least when she isn’t hanging out with her friends or playing Overwatch with her little siblings. She is a very proud Mexican-American who loves sharing her culture as long as Mexican history with anyone who lends an ear. Adamari is also a massive nerd, especially with Harry Potter (she’s a Ravenclaw btw) and Marvel. In the future, Adamari hopes to become a published author, sharing her works with the world and hoping they help people the way books have helped her.