WE LIVE IN TIME

UK, 2024, 108 minutes, Colour.

Andrew Garfield, Florence Pugh, Grace Delaney, Lee Braithwaite, Adam James, Douglas Hodge, Niamh Cusack.

Directed by John Crowley.

We live in time, moment by moment, day by day, year by year, a linear progress. But, in time, we also have the capacity for moving backwards and forwards in our memories.

It is important to note this for this film because rather than the linear progress of a couple meeting, falling in love, having a child, coping with illness, the screenplay moves backwards and forwards, sometimes disconcerting, the audience having to be alert to appreciate at which period in time the action is taking place. Which means that the experience for the audience is not immersive as a linear exposition would offer, but, rather, a variety of responses as we move backwards and forwards in time for insights and comparisons.

And, with living in time meaning from birth to death, this film is very strong in an unusual and sometimes graphic (but happy) birth sequence as well as a contemplation of illness and death.

The film was directed by John Crowley (Brooklyn, The Goldfinch) and gives strong opportunities for performance by the two stars. Andrew Garfield is Tobias, working with Weetabix and its promotion, a strong presence but designed very much to be supportive of Florence Pugh as Almut who, in fact, knocks him down in her car, not the most propitious of meetings. In fact, this is very much Florence Pugh’s film, a strong screen presence as has been shown in a range of films, comedies, dramas and even Marvel Universe actioners, dominating the film, her personality, her moods, her skills as a chef, her pregnancy and the challenge of the birth, her love for her daughter, her having to face serious cancer.

With moving backwards and forwards in time, we do have the opportunity to appreciate Almut’s response to her illness in the light of her previous activities, approaches to life. And, while she is fully alive with her husband and child, her skills as a cook, a chef, are significant, propelling her, even as she is sick, to join in the UK tea, in a chef’s competition in Italy.

The film has a strong female sensibility (though written and directed by men), inviting an empathy with Almut, not always liking her, irritated sometimes with her, but also in admiration of how she deals with life and life challenging situations.

1. The title, the focus on time, but not in linear time for the narrative, moving about in time, and themes of time from birth to death?
2. The British film, locations, characters, issues? The London sequences, the home and interiors, the grounds? The Italian sequences, the travel, the chef competition? The musical score?
3. The effect of the narrative being non-linear, audiences jolted, identifying the time situation? The role of memory, memories and interpretation, understandings of the past? Preparing for the future?
4. The bond between Tobias and It? The initial encounter, Tobias and the divorce, upset, being hit by the car, in hospital, the initial encounter with Helmet? Explanations? Each personality? Tobias, the impact of the divorce? Helmet, her parents, the story, skating, family life? As a chef? Seeing her at work, the kitchen, the staff, creativity, with Jade?
5. The development of the relationship, Tobias, his work, manner, the meetings with helmet, wanting to depend, time passing, falling in love, the ring in proposal? The bonding together? Families? The issue of children, the disputes?
6. The backwards and forwards, the issue of helmets illness, the past, recovery, the recurrence, the effect on her, the consultations, the advice, medical treatment? Success? Failure? Her work, the decision to continue with the cooking, the effect on her, being sick, the issue of the hysterectomy?
7. The pregnancy, her working, the effect? Tobias and anxiety? Held up in the traffic, the service station, the attendance, the drama and comedy of the birth? Success?
8. The scenes of happy family, their daughter, the playful sequences, the outings? The effect on each of them?
9. The decision to carry on with the cooking, the background of her success at the restaurant, Simon and his urging, choosing Jade? The clash with Tobias, his challenges to her, her response, wanting something that her daughter could remember her by? Change of heart, the winning of the UK session, going to Italy, Tobias and the daughter supporting her?
10. The symbolic skating, her past championship, Tobias awkward?
11. Her death, Tobias and his daughter returning home, the dog, the chicken coop, memories of the past, how to crack eggs?