“We Live in Time”: A stubborn cancer drama that cannot save Florence Pugh

The generic title “We Live in Time” is a life-affirming story about Almut (Florence Pugh), a chef who bravely faces cancer. But viewers may be more inclined to cry at how this would-be screamer relies on its remarkable star to buoy an otherwise insufferable film.

Almut is first seen running in the countryside, where she literally stops smells like flowers. This scene underscores the film's “enjoy every moment” theme, with which “We Live in Time” relentlessly torments the viewer for 108 endless minutes. Poorly directed by John Crowley (“Brooklyn”) and poorly written by Nick Payne, this film is never subtle or nuanced. It switches back and forth in time to juxtapose meaningful moments, but a scene in which Almut decides against treatment and then has her hair cut – a clichéd literary device that signals Life change!—is typical of how persistent the film is.

After Almut receives news that her cancer requires aggressive treatment, she tells her partner Tobias (Andrew Garfield) that she would rather “make the most of the time she has left” and live well for six months rather than suffer for twelve months. Almut also secretly decides to take part in the prestigious Bacchus D'Or cooking competition, but doesn't tell Tobias about it – a decision that is sure to backfire.

“We Live in Time” then reminds us of Tobias and Almut’s chance meeting, an absurd sequence and a sign of how damn terrible this film really is. Tobias sits in a hotel room in his bathrobe and tries to sign his divorce papers. His pen is out of ink. He finds a pencil and it breaks. So instead of picking up a writing instrument from the hotel reception, they must have one? – He sets off on foot in the aforementioned bathrobe to buy a pen. On the way home he runs into traffic where Almut hits him with her car. What's even stranger is that it doesn't seem to bother him all that much.

This episode is played as a meet-cute, but nothing the handsome Pugh and Garfield do in “We Live in Time” is charming. In fact, much of it is awkward. There's a scene where Almut is pregnant – after declaring she doesn't want children; fights with Tobias, who does it; trying to get pregnant (cue pregnancy test montage), etc. – has to go to the hospital because she thinks she's crowning. But their car is crammed in and no matter how carefully Tobias tries to free things from the tight space, he only rips out three cars and damages them. But that's not nearly as torturous as the scene where Almut actually gives birth to her child, which is playing in the gas station toilet, and where a door is forced open (because a key broke off in the lock).

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The film has many despairing, head-scratching moments that start badly and often become more unbearable – as if author Nick Payne was thinking: How much worse can this situation be? And the director John Crowley insists on showing it. When Almut and Tobias sit down in a candy store to tell their young daughter Ella (Grace Delaney) that Mommy isn't feeling well, a magician appears to be amusing Ella without understanding her parents' many hints that they want that he goes away. It's painful and unfunny, which is probably unintentional.

The film struggles throughout to find the right tone. Thankfully, “We Live in Time” never gets maudlin, but it also never generates much emotion other than disappointment and frustration. Why are the characters so one-dimensional? Why are they put in such stupid situations? And how can it be that there is so little chemistry between Pugh and Garfield?

Pugh is great in a scene where Almut reveals that she was once a competitive figure skater. She talks about what skating meant to her and how she lost her passion for it after her father, who coached her, died. But the beautiful moment is quickly ruined when she suddenly succumbs to severe cancer pain. In contrast, in a much worse episode, Almut's competition partner Jade (Lee Braithwaite) mistakenly asks her boss if she is “using” because Almut is bleeding and vomiting. No, it's just stage 3 ovarian cancer. Oof!

“We Live in Time” is also full of inventions. When Tobias suggests Naturally, The day they choose for their wedding is the weekend of their secret cooking competition. This discovery of her deception – which occurs when Almut forgets to pick Ella up from school after being asked to do so (cue child standing in the rain, another old cliché) – sends the otherwise mild-mannered Tobias into a moment of loud rage. But he pulls back, probably because he remembers she has cancer. But it's easy to get annoyed with this film, which doesn't show the characters the sympathy they deserve.

It's easy to feel sympathy for Pugh, who does better than the film deserves. She is passionate when Almut and Tobias argue about her biological clock. She is defiant when she insists on attending the Bacchus D'Or because she wants to leave a legacy. And she's heartbreaking in simple moments, like when she reacts to an unfortunate message from a doctor. Without them the film would be completely worthless.

Unfortunately, front-runner Garfield is miscast here. He is too delicate and innocent like Tobias. It makes sense that he's initially shy after his just-ended marriage, but his long-standing passivity makes him unlovable. His concern for Almut's condition is barely noticeable, so it's hard to feel anything other than pity for him. Ironically, if the film had been told entirely from his (or her) perspective, it might have had some real power to process the pain. Instead, “We Live in Time” is just plain painful.

For viewers who want to see a truly moving film about a couple battling cancer, 2019's “Ordinary Love,” starring Leslie Manville and Liam Neeson, is everything “We Live in Time” should have been.

“We Live in Time” opens in select theaters on October 11th, with nationwide expansion to follow.”