We Live in Time

She’s an award-winning chef and he’s a divorced breakfast cereal executive. They meet under extremely awkward circumstances, fall in love, have a baby, and endure a terminal diagnosis.

That feels like the entire chronological plot of a standard-issue tearjerker, but We Live in Time takes those familiar elements and mixes them up, offering a fresh perspective on relationships with a winning balance of humor and pathos.

That’s because this intimate drama from Irish director John Crowley (Brooklyn) doesn’t focus exclusively on those major moments in the couple’s life together, but rather examines the details in between, never dwelling on the highs and lows but emphasizing the depth of their commitment and perseverance day by day.

Set in London, the meet-cute between Almut (Florence Pugh) and Tobias (Andrew Garfield) happens after she plows into him with her car, then stops by the hospital to admit her wrongdoing and admire his bandages. Later, the spark is immediate after Almut details the optimal way to crack an egg, which leads possibly to an omelette, but definitely to sex on the kitchen counter.

Eventually, they marry and have a daughter (Grace Delaney), with a birth sequence that provides a blast of intensity and comic energy, before Almut eventually learns she has cancer and ponders her legacy and prognosis. “I’m not saying I don’t want to do the treatment,” she explains. “I’m saying I want it to be the right choice.”

Pretty much all of that is revealed early on. Juggling lightweight charm with grounded poignancy, the fragmented story builds a cumulative emotional resonance through relatable characters, authentic dialogue, and palpable chemistry among its stars.

The nonlinear narrative approach in the screenplay by Nick Payne (The Sense of an Ending) might be initially frustrating, as the film jumbles its chronology almost at random.

However, the performers act as our compass, communicating through subtle glances, expressions, and body language to help us find our way. Pugh is remarkably vulnerable and sincere, while she and Garfield convey the depth of their characters’ affection with heartfelt conviction.

We Live in Time is an example of how sentimentality isn’t automatically a drawback or a narrative crutch, but can enhance a story when modulated with thought and purpose — and in this case, sweetness.

Rated R, 107 minutes.