Unfortunately, I am incredibly biased, but I genuinely think this is one of the best films to come out of 2024. With the two main leads being played by Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield at first glance, this film is a bisexual’s wet dream. The film follows up-and-coming chef Almut (played by Florence Pugh) and recent divorcee Tobias (played by Andrew Garfield). The two find their lives changed forever when a chance encounter brings them together in a decade-spanning, deeply moving romance.

I’ve seen this film multiple times, and despite knowing the exact story, without a doubt, I am able to burst into tears as soon as the film begins. There’s just something about this film that makes it feel so beautiful and allows it to capture the audience so wholeheartedly. As I said before, this film is a bisexual’s wet dream. However, that can only really be seen from the trailer of the film. A24’s masterful editing lulls the audience into a sense of false security when the trailer first begins; the film appears to be a somewhat traditional rom-com, with the nonlinear aspect of the film becoming immensely obvious from the beginning of the trailer. But this is all disrupted about halfway through, when, through the use of an abrupt jump cut through time, Almut and Tobias are suddenly depicted in a hospital with Almut’s head shaved. That is when the tone of the trailer switches from joyful and happy to almost foreboding. This shift highlights how it’s a ‘true’ A24 film. By not allowing the storyline to remain completely happy, the company showcases its ability to prioritise storytelling over spectacle, focusing on character-driven narratives that explore complex human experiences rather than relying on action or special effects. We Live in Time is a prime example of this, as the film opens on the lonely and unfulfilled life of Tobias alongside Almut’s ambition and abandoned ice skating dreams. While the two are only together for a short amount of time, the life they build together is full of realness, love, and ambition. The visual style A24 uses helps build this sense of back-and-forth, showcasing the non-linear narrative.

The change of lighting throughout the film is dependent on whether the current moment depicted is set in the past, present, or future. The lightness of the shots within the past creates a sense of optimism and warmth. The audience is aware of what is about to come for both Almut and Tobias, and the anticipation of this leaves a sense of optimism despite the darkness that is inevitable to come. Additionally, the lightness of the film gives a sense of cleanliness to the shots and their individual lives, Tobias’ in particular. Before Almut entered his life, he was living a run-of-the-mill, boring life. As a result of his recent divorce, he’s moved back in with his father and is seemingly only being adventurous with his breakfast choices. But Almut’s big crash (literally) into his life drags Tobias onto a sudden and much-needed change of lifestyle. The lighting changes are also used to showcase how much both characters’ lives change in the present parts of the film. As the film flashes to these moments in the characters’ lives, it showcases the huge changes both have undergone as the two have become more and more intertwined. Overall, the lighting is warmer and feels more inviting as it draws the audience into the joint life Almut and Tobias have created for themselves. The mixture of warm lighting and ‘regular’ lighting gives these ‘now’ moments a sense of realness and contentment as it becomes clear that Almut and Tobias have both had professional and personal positive advancement within their lives. This element of realness becomes clearest when it’s revealed that Almut has ovarian cancer. This revelation marks the transition from the present, moving into the part of the film that almost feels like the future.

Although Florence Pugh is introduced as an almost secondary main character, it can be argued that the arc her character goes on is the most important to the narrative. When Tobias meets Almut, his life has almost stopped moving forward in any positive direction. Upon meeting Almut, he is practically forced to step outside of his comfort zone and begin living again. Pugh’s character contrasts sharply with Tobias’s; she is so sure of herself and what she wants for her future. The transformation that her character goes through proves to be central to the story as the character’s own morals and beliefs shift with the story to highlight how together Tobias and Almut have been able to achieve some sense of completion and happiness. The gateway to this happiness is accomplished through Almut and Tobias’ acceptance of each other’s aspirations and dreams, both inside and out of their relationship. Tobias accepts the fact that Almut is not like “traditional” women, meaning she is unwilling to give up on her dreams of owning her own restaurant just because Tobias would one day like to have kids with her. And Almut finds herself open to the idea of eventually settling down with Tobias and having a child with him after she has accomplished what she desires for herself and her career.

Overall, I love this bittersweet film so much, I think it perfectly depicts the realness and emotionality of the beautiful lifetime Almut and Tobias share together. Although the two characters only have a short amount of time together, the film does an amazing job of making it seem like it spans a whole lifetime. Crowley does a beautiful job at jumping backwards and forwards through time, and this is only deepened and assisted by A24; the lighting and tone of the film are magnificent.