All the latest updates on We Live in Time starring Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield
Looking for more romance content as we enter the final stretch of the year? One highly anticipated film hitting theaters this fall, We Live in Time, chronicles characters Almut and Tobias' relationship — following the many ups and downs of their romance and life together. Academy Award nominees Florence Pugh (Dune: Part Two, Oppenheimer) and Andrew Garfield (Under the Banner of Heaven, tick, tick... BOOM!) star in the romance dramedy, making this a movie to definitely look out for.
We Live in Time is directed by John Crowley (Brooklyn) and written by Nick Payne (The Last Letter from Your Lover). The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September and is set to release in U.S. theaters in October. Have it on your watch list and want to know more? We've gathered all of the biggest updates about the movie below.
What it's about
As mentioned, We Live in Time follows a couple named Almut and Tobias. After meeting under unusual circumstances, they form a romance that grows into something beautiful. The film spans multiple decades as we watch the two build a life together, including having a child and navigating an unfortunate health diagnosis. Life comes with many hardships, but when you find someone you want to spend the rest of your life with, the good outweighs the bad. There's no doubt We Live in Time is upsetting at times, but it also looks heartwarming and comedic as well.
Check out the official synopsis, courtesy of A24, as well as the trailer below:
"Almut (Florence Pugh) and Tobias (Andrew Garfield) are brought together in a surprise encounter that changes their lives. Through snapshots of their life together – falling for each other, building a home, becoming a family – a difficult truth is revealed that rocks its foundation. As they embark on a path challenged by the limits of time, they learn to cherish each moment of the unconventional route their love story has taken, in filmmaker John Crowley’s decade-spanning, deeply moving romance."
- We Live in Time synopsis
In a report from Deadline in 2023 before We Live in Time was filmed, the publication shared that the movie is "described as a funny, deeply moving and immersive love story."
As suggested by the trailer, We Live in Time follows a non-linear format, going back and forth between the years of Almut and Tobias' life together. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Crowley explained that decision:
"It was always the ambition to run three time frames against each other — one across a day, one across six months, and one across five years — and to, within that, hopefully capture the sense of what it feels like to be on the inside of a relationship. We don't live our lives in a particularly linear way. If you think back on a relationship, it can often be shards of memories, some of which can be quite long and in depth and can play like a one-act play, some of which might be a snapshot. It's about two people trying to create a life for themselves. What happens to the meaning of that when the time gets curtailed?"
- John Crowley
Release date
After premiering at TIFF on Sept. 6, We Live in Time is set for a limited United States theatrical release on Oct. 11, 2024, distributed by A24. It will then go nationwide in the United States a week later on Oct. 18, 2024. For viewers in the UK, StudioCanal will serve as the distributor for a theatrical release on Jan. 1, 2025. As reported by Screen Daily, We Live in Time will premiere in theaters in Spain on Jan. 5, 2024, distributed by Beta Fiction.
StudioCanal and Sunny March produced We Live in Time, which was filmed in 2023.
Cast
Pugh and Garfield's casting came out shortly after they presented at the 95th Academy Awards together in March 2023, which sparked plenty of headlines. The two fan-favorites aren't the only ones to get excited about in the We Live in Time cast, though. Here is the full, confirmed cast at the time of this writing:
- Florence Pugh
- Andrew Garfield
- Adam James
- Marama Corlett
- Aoife Hinds
- Heather Craney
- Kara Lynch
- Grace Delaney
- Lee Braithwaite
- Douglas Hodge
- Amy Morgan
- Niamh Cusack
- Lucy Briers
- Robert Boulter
- Nikhil Parmar
- Kerry Godliman
- Heather Craney
From the trailer and promotional tour for the movie, it's clear Pugh and Garfield have the chemistry necessary for such a heartfelt movie. While speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Pugh recalled working with Garfield, saying: "There was something very magical that happened straight away. We wanted to be great for each other, we wanted to meet each other, and we wanted to be there for each other."
Early reviews
Fortunately for those who are counting down the days until they can see We Live in Time in theaters, the film is receiving positive reviews so far! At the time of this writing, the movie has a strong 85% on Rotten Tomatoes, with the general consensus saying it's worth the watch. Check out some of the positive reviews below:
- From The Hollywood Reporter: "While We Live in Time and its subject matter might not lay claim to the audience uplift of Crowley’s Oscar-nominated Brooklyn, seldom has such an unflinchingly honest take on mortality felt so transcendently life-affirming."
- From IndieWire: "Scrambling its love story out of order allows We Live in Time to make the most of its gentle touch, if only because its hands are wrapped around our necks from the moment starts."
- From The Guardian: "It’s such a joy to watch two such assured and natural performers allowed the room to exercise both movie star and actor muscles as well as showcase their ease with both comedy and drama."
- From The Verge: "The film does a great job of balancing its heart-rending story with hilarious jokes, but the most notable thing is the way it deftly jumps around in time."
Despite the mostly glowing reviews, We Live in Time has seen some negative early reactions as well. Here are a few of the negative reviews so far:
- From The Daily Beast: "Pulling on the heartstrings with tug-of-war-grade might, it’s a carpe diem fable that elicits more exasperated eye rolls than tears or laughs."
- From Screen Daily: "Ultimately, We Live In Time views Tobias and Almut as abstractions, and by jumping back and forth in time, it never makes them very present."
- From AwardsWatch: "Given the stacking of cliché upon cliché, it is also hardly surprising that the script makes little attempt to give these characters any originality, or any real conflict among them (beyond the obvious problem set out at the beginning)."
It sounds like the non-linear format has been the most divisive part of the film, which isn't surprising. The style choice is not an easy one to pull off, especially when it's supposed to be a deeply emotional story. We'll have to see for ourselves if We Live in Time does it effectively! Considering the high volume of positive reviews so far, we have a great feeling it delivers.
Be sure to buy your tickets for We Live in Time on Fandango here.