Someone give Florence Pugh a bloody Oscar

My thoughts on "We live in time"

Spoilers ahead…

As soon as “We live in time” was announced, I have been counting down the days till its release. Unfortunately for me, I live in the UK, and so had to wait till this month to see it (curse you British film distributors). However, it was luckily worth the wait!

“We live in time” stars Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield as our lead protagonists. Now, when I hear Pugh, I know a film will be worth watching. She has been one of my favourite actresses for a long time, and her portrayal of Amy March means everything to me. And neither she, nor Andrew, disappointed. We meet Tobias (Garfield) , who works for Weetabix, and Almut (Pugh), a Jaffa cake loving chef. How do they meet? She runs him over with her car. They inevitably fall in love, with various obstacles getting in the way. Both actors range of emotion and expression in some of the more raw scenes in the film are amazing. I won’t go into detail, but a scene that specifically stood out to me involved a birth, a petrol station and a meal deal. I also strongly believe that Andrew Garfield would have insane chemistry with a brick wall if there was nobody else around.

I think the quality of the script aided them, of course. I thought the film was incredibly well written, including lots of realistic dialogue about issues that most people can relate too, in one way or another. The fight between Tobias and Almut near the end of the film - very raw. I think it’s a very relatable worry, being forgotten. I had a lot of empathy for both characters, but hearing “Because maybe I don’t just want to be someone's dead fucking mum” left me a little breathless. I liked how both characters had flaws, even puppy dog-eyed Tobias.

I also really enjoyed the non-linear narrative of the film. I (obviously) hopped on Letterboxd immediately after the film ended, and scrolled through several reviews of people saying they didn’t understand why it was needed. To me personally, the use of jumping between eras helped cement the main message of the film - we really don’t have much time on this planet, and we should use it wisely.

I saw this also in the presentation of clocks throughout the movie. Whether it was Tobias’s stopwatch, or the timer at the cooking competition, we are constantly reminded of the passage of time throughout the film. I also think this is shown really well with the ending scenes, with the abruptness of Almut’s death. There is no Hospital bed, or tear jerking funeral. There is just Almut waving to her family as the camera pans further and further away from her, reminding us how we don’t always get the time we truly deserve.

The idea of the Ice rink as a representation of Almut accepting her death was another beautiful metaphor in the ending scene. Earlier in the film, we hear her talk about how her figure skating career was her dad’s idea, and that she couldn’t continue it after his death. She says that it reminded her too much of him. However, at the end of the film, we see her get back on the ice. It’s almost like she has accepted that she has ran out of time, and is willing to be connected with her father again.

“I can’t bear the thought of being forgotten.” - Almut

A little piece of me stayed in that screening long after I left. Despite the slightly mixed reviews I’ve seen so far, I thought this film was exceptionally beautiful. The film took the relatively simple concept of everyday life, and turned it into art. On a separate note, I’m also really hoping that Florence Pugh will finally have her flowers at the Oscars this year! She definitely deserves it for her performance in this film.