Love And Regret: Why ‘We Live In Time’ Hits Home

Spoiler warning for ‘We Live in Time’

When my best friends asked me to go see ‘We Live in Time,’ all I knew was that it starred Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield. Pugh is one of my favorite actresses and I’ve always thought Garfield was extremely talented. Other than looking forward to seeing the pair on screen as I knew it was a love story that spanned a decade, I was going in blind. I had only seen a few random clips from the trailer that showed the two on what looked like a date. After I watched the film, it was clear that it was about the ups and downs of human life and the risks taken when someone falls in love. 

I didn’t expect the movie to be so intensely upsetting. I’ve seen some discourse on Tiktok about the emotional impact since I watched it. Videos remind people to bring tissues while others didn’t feel like the film was as earth-shattering as many are making it seem. While I didn’t actually shed a tear, I was moved coming out of the theater. I had a different experience than those who were not affected by the film’s emotional plot points. 

One of my favorite responses to the film was a Tiktok by user @boogereater331 that kind of sums up my viewing experience. 

I think part of the reason I was so impacted by the movie was not only the process of Pugh’s character, Almut being diagnosed with cancer, entering remission, relapsing, and dying, but mainly the fact that is was captured  alongside one of the most well-written, well-played love stories I’ve ever seen on screen. Every second of it felt real. Despite being such a devastating  concept, the moments of comedy made Almut and Garfield’s character, Tobias, seem like real people. What made the experience so moving was the way Tobias loved Almut through it all – from her cancer diagnosis, to giving birth in a gas station bathroom, and eventually ensuring her memory lives on in their daughter after her passing. I truly agree with the above Tiktok – everyone deserves to find a love like that in their lifetime. 

I’ve been reminded by Pugh and Garfield’s performances of the importance of going after what you love, whether it be a person or a thing. Almut found happiness in cooking, in her relationship, and in motherhood, fully taking advantage of everything her life had to offer her before it was cut short. Everything about the movie brought this message to life from the cinematography to the cast chemistry and the use of the time motif and jumping back and forth between timelines. I loved the way this film showed us that even little things that happened years ago can completely reshape the trajectory of our lives and not to take a single moment for granted. We truly live as all of the different versions of ourselves that have existed throughout time, as explained by the film’s title.

‘We Live in Time’ came out in theaters in the United States on October 18, 2024. It is expected to be available to stream on Max by the end of 2024!

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