The new movie starring Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh acting as a couple in a Romance/Drama A24 Film, We Live in Time, premiered in theaters on October 18, 2024. When I heard I jumped at going to see them play a couple. As they embark on a path challenged by time limits, Almut, played by Pugh, and Tobias, played by Garfield, learn to cherish each moment of their love story’s unconventional route — falling for each other, learning to love each other through hardships and sappy moments, becoming a family with a tough pregnancy and health struggles through non-linear storytelling in a deeply moving romance. I went to see this movie with Z Ball (’25) and Lillian Schulties (’25) on October 27th and let’s just say we didn’t leave the theater dry-eyed. I was unprepared for the heart-wrenching and endearing movie that Garfield and Pugh brought to life.

It has a very purposefully jumbled script, which might be hard for some people to understand. It moves between key moments in their relationship. The film opens with Almut receiving a severe ovarian cancer diagnosis. She speaks to Tobias about an impossible decision: six months of great life vs a year of miserable chemo that might not work anyway. In the past, we see them falling in love with each other just after they meet. Then we see them figuring out Almut’s pregnancy with their daughter, Ella with not only a difficult pregnancy but an emotional and inspiring birth scene. Lastly, we see the pair raising their child and Almut working at her restaurant as well as competing in a world-class cooking competition.

They meet when Almut literally hits Tobias in her car, well once he wakes up in the hospital. She then takes him to get food where they talk about their lives — Almut is an up-and-coming chef who is opening a restaurant, while Tobias is a recent divorcee who works for Weetabix. Their relationship starts off unconventional after Tobias visits Almut at her new restaurant where he tells her that he got divorced, a moment that kickstarts their relationship. In the beginning, they struggle with the idea of kids- Tobias wants kids and Almut is against it. This leads to my favorite moment in the movie, after fighting, Tobias storms over to Almut’s apartment (during a baby shower) and tells her that he wants to work things out and that he would change what he wants to be with her.

One day at work, Almut gets severe pain in her lower stomach and goes to the hospital, where she gets a diagnosis of ovarian cancer. She and Tobias have to decide on a full hysterectomy and never getting pregnant or a partial hysterectomy, with the possibility of having kids, but at the risk of the cancer coming back. The decision weighs on Almut as she knows Tobias wants kids. They decide to try but the couple struggles to get pregnant and start a round of IVF. Finally, Almut becomes pregnant and struggles in childbirth as she gives birth in a gas station bathroom. She then goes into remission.

The last part of their life we see is the pair raising their child. Almut’s restaurant is booming and the family is living on a farm. After Almut’s cancer comes back, she decides she wants to go through chemotherapy. She and Tobias decide to get married, they look at wedding venues and print wedding cards. Almut struggles through chemo and training for a competition that Tobias does not want her to compete in. There is an emotional scene where Ella and Tobias help Almut shave her head.

The tear-jerking film ends with Almut competing in a renowned cooking competition, which would have been on the same day she and Tobias were set to get married. Before the competition ends Almut decides to leave. She finds Tobias and Ella in the crowd and walks out with them. The family goes ice skating instead of staying until the end of the competition. Almut, a former figure skater, skates with her family, eventually gliding away from them. She smiles and waves to them from the other side of the rink. Later, Tobias and Ella walk through the family’s chicken coop picking eggs and Tobias teaches Ella how to crack an egg using one hand the same way Almut used to do. Almut is nowhere to be found in We Live in Time’s final scene, leading us to assume she has passed.

It’s not many films that can successfully weave two cancer diagnoses, a birth, a budding romance, and an end of life into one film and NOT feel like it’s playing with the emotions of the audience. So far, the movie has received glowing reviews. At the Toronto International Film Festival, it received positive reviews for the cast’s performances – namely Pugh and Garfield’s chemistry – the direction and depiction of exploring life’s unexpected moments. Adding to the film’s success, it has already scored 78% on Rotten Tomatoes, as critics agreed that the drama’s unpredictable structure captures the essence of grief.

Both Pugh and Garfield give an extremely emotional performance. Almut is a complex character, faced with hard decisions through her diagnosis, fueled by a love for two different parts of her life: cooking and family. Some might say she is selfish but her choice to compete to give her daughter something to remember her, which isn’t her diagnosis, is touching. Tobias as a character presents a love interest who is awkward and quirky, with complex emotions who yearns for love. Both actors are brilliant as usual. If you aren’t looking for a good cry, I would not recommend this movie, but, if you enjoy emotion, performance, and romance “We Live in Time” is a wonderful experience. So with a waving goodbye, here is your reminder to live in time with those you love.