Time is, simply put, a fickle thing - that much is known, as displayed in John Crowley’s latest romantic drama, We Live In Time.

On the surface, the film is something I want to enjoy: something that would leave you with a slightly existential mindset, accompanied with a gut-punching feeling and tears in your eyes. Despite it having the perfect formula for a good cry-movie, it falls flat on its face before you even feel a thing.

The film follows a non-linear timeline of Tobias (Andrew Garfield) and Almut (Florence Pugh)’s relationship, from the moment when they (quite literally) bumped into each other, to the present. As expected, the overarching theme of the film is time - how much or how little we have, how we spend it and how it affects us. 

As Tobias and Almut’s relationship develops, the audience can enjoy watching how their perception of time changes. In the earlier stages of the film, there’s a heavy implication between the two that there is no rush, to take things slow and steady, just to see where things end up. 

And , yet, we’re pushed to realise that time is finite: a kitchen timer, a life expectancy, the desperate need to do things before it’s too late. Everything feels like a ticking time bomb, waiting to go off and explode right in our faces.

As ironic as it is, I do believe that time is the biggest flaw of this film. 

Unlike most recent films, the film has a runtime of less than two hours. Coupled with the non-linear timeline, which feels disjointed and even clunky at times, the film just left an overall neutral impression on me as I exited the theatre. I didn’t feel like it was simply enough, especially as a film made to tug on heartstrings and get people thinking.

As disappointing as it was, the ending—made to be perhaps the most impactful part of the film—was simply underwhelming. And as someone who is not ashamed to admit they are an avid crier of anything sad in a film, my eyes were simply just dry. I clearly remember turning to my brother as the credits rolled, and both of us remarking,

“..That's it?”

Despite everything, I must give my flowers to Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh, who were the main reasons why I had any interest in seeing the film in the first place. Even if some bits of dialogue were cringy or stale, their chemistry made it worthwhile to watch—especially the gas station scene, which might have been the most interesting part of the film.

I still think that there is some charm in a film like We Live In Time. It shows real struggles people face in their lives, as raw and unfiltered as can be, which I think anyone can find relatable in their own way. 

It’s not a film I would constantly turn back to, but one which I might find lingering in the back of my mind: a reminder of time and it's oh-so fleeting nature.