A timely tale of love and loss

Written by Nick Payne and directed by John Crowley, “We Live in Time” is set during three time periods — one lasts several years, another six months and the third about a day — that are presented to us seemingly randomly, but with an eye on the past informing the future. It means that as an audience, we know more than the characters do, and that this undoubtedly sad tale is informed by more than the dramatic suspense of impending doom. Of course, not everything makes sense at first, but even that chimes with the kaleidoscopic nature of reminiscence.  The lasting effect is akin to our memories of loved ones, with isolated incident taking on significance in hindsight.

Much of this would fall at the first hurdle were it not for the performance skills of Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield. From Pugh – probably the finest actor of her generation – this is hardly a surprise, but Garfield, unencumbered by a Spiderman costume and speaking in his native tongue goes some way to keeping up with her. The pain of being the partner of someone suffering is deftly handled by him, albeit with the help of ever watering eyes, while her fervent determination to not be defined by her illness is ferociously realised.

Odd thought the comparison might seem, I was reminded of the Tarantino’s ground breaking Pulp Fiction, in that we are invited to piece together a narrative, rather than have it presented to us, and this makes what could have been a mawkish experience into something more akin to life affirming. If, like me, it looks like the sort of film you’d run a mile from, I’d council you to set your preconceptions aside. It might just find yourself surprised by the film, not least your reaction to it.