We Live in Time

We Live in Time

Company type	Film
Industry	Motion picture
Founded	2024
Founder	John Crowley (director), Nick Payne (screenwriter)
Headquarters	London , United Kingdom
Products	Romantic drama film
Parent	StudioCanal, A24, SunnyMarch, Shoebox Films

We Live in Time is a romantic drama released in 2024, directed by John Crowley and penned by Nick Payne. The story explores the ten-year relationship between Tobias Durand (portrayed by Andrew Garfield) and Almut Brühl (played by Florence Pugh) through a non-chronological narrative structure.

The film debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival on 6 September 2024. It later premiered in the United States on 11 October 2024 via A24, followed by releases in the United Kingdom and France on 1 January 2025 through StudioCanal. Garnering $57.5 million globally, the movie received generally favorable critiques, with particular acclaim directed at the performances and on-screen chemistry of Garfield and Pugh.

Plot

Tobias Durand, representing Weetabix, is struck by a vehicle driven by Almut Brühl, a former figure skater who has transitioned into a chef specializing in Bavarian-fusion dishes, while he is out purchasing a pen to sign divorce documents. At the hospital, Almut invites Tobias and his wife to dine at her restaurant, though Tobias withholds information about his pending divorce.

Following their separation, Tobias returns alone to Almut’s restaurant and discloses his divorce. They begin spending time together, with Almut preparing meals for him and imparting culinary advice.

Several months later, Tobias expresses his desire to start a family with Almut, but she declines to make such a commitment. During a co-worker’s baby shower, Tobias apologizes; they reconcile after he acknowledges the significance of their current relationship.

Almut receives an ovarian cancer diagnosis and is advised to undergo either partial or full hysterectomy. Choosing partial surgery to maintain fertility potential, she enters remission. After multiple attempts, the couple successfully conceives.

On New Year's Eve, Almut goes into labor but is discharged from the hospital prematurely. She ultimately delivers their daughter in a petrol station restroom amid a traffic jam.

Three years later, Almut’s cancer returns at stage 3. Confronted with chemotherapy and uncertain prospects, she suggests spending "six to eight amazing months" without treatment. Tobias proposes marriage; she opts to proceed with therapy.

At the same time, Almut receives an invitation to participate in the prestigious Bocuse d'Or culinary competition. Despite challenges balancing treatment and wedding preparations, she wins the UK selection alongside her commis Jade and advances to the finals held in Italy on her wedding day.

After discovering that treatment was unsuccessful, Almut continues training secretly for the finals. Tobias confronts her about prioritizing competition over health and family commitments; she insists on leaving behind a legacy as a distinguished chef. Tobias cancels their wedding but supports her choice.

In Italy, despite physical decline during the Bocuse d'Or finals, Almut completes the contest with Jade’s assistance. Afterwards, she decides to leave with Tobias and their daughter Ella for an ice skating outing—an activity previously avoided due to painful associations.

Later, Tobias and Ella return home after visiting their chicken coop accompanied by their new dog, purchased to help Ella cope with loss. Tobias teaches Ella how to crack an egg, echoing lessons once given by Almut.

Production

The screenplay for We Live in Time was crafted by Nick Payne in collaboration with StudioCanal. Executive production responsibilities were undertaken by Benedict Cumberbatch through his London-based outfit, SunnyMarch. The producing team also includes Leah Clarke and Adam Ackland from SunnyMarch, Guy Heeley representing Shoebox Films, along with Ron Halpern and Joe Naftalin from StudioCanal.

In March 2023, talks commenced with Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh to headline the project, an announcement that followed their joint appearance at the 95th Academy Awards. Principal photography kicked off in London during April 2023, utilizing locations such as Herne Hill and Blackfen. The choice of London as a filming hub underscores the production’s deliberate emphasis on metropolitan environments to deepen the film’s immersive storytelling.

Music

The musical score was composed by Bryce Dessner. The end credits feature the track "I'm on Your Team," performed by Romy alongside Sampha.

The soundtrack includes the following tracks:

• "Is It a Sin" – Composed by Al Hazan, performed by Allie Hazan
• "I Dare You" – Written by Jamie XX, Oliver Sim, Romy Madley-Croft; performed by The xx
• "King" – Created by Mikey Goldsworthy, Mark Ralph, Andrew Smith, Olly Alexander, Emre Turkmen
• "I'm on Your Team" – Delivered by Romy and Sampha
• "Golden Days" – Performed by Chris Brain

Release

In May 2023, A24 secured distribution rights for the United States market. Global sales were overseen by StudioCanal, who will also handle distribution in territories including France, the UK, Germany, Poland, Benelux countries, Australia, and New Zealand. An early promotional image featuring the principal actors gained viral attention online due to an "unattractive carousel horse" visible in the background.

We Live in Time had its world premiere at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival on 6 September 2024. It subsequently served as the closing film for the official selection at the 72nd San Sebastián International Film Festival in a non-competitive screening. A24 planned a limited theatrical release across the U.S. starting 11 October 2024, expanding to a wide release on 18 October 2024. The film debuted in cinemas across the UK, Ireland, and France on 1 January 2025. In Spain, theatrical distribution was managed by Beta Fiction Spain, with a release date of 3 January 2025.

Box office

By January 14, 2025, We Live in Time had accumulated $24.7 million domestically (U.S. and Canada), alongside $32.7 million internationally, amounting to a global total of $57.5 million.

During its initial limited release weekend in North America, it generated $232,615 from five theaters—averaging $46,523 per location. Upon expanding to 985 theaters the following weekend, it grossed $4.2 million and placed fifth at the box office. Its third weekend saw earnings of $4.8 million across 2,968 theaters while maintaining the fifth position. Subsequent weekends brought in $3.5 million and $2.2 million respectively during the fourth and fifth weekends.

Critical response

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 79% approval rating with an average score of 7.0/10 based on 220 reviews; audiences surveyed by PostTrak gave it an 83% positive score, with 63% definitely recommending it. Metacritic assigned a score of 58 out of 100 based on 38 critics.

Benjamin Lee of The Guardian awarded 4 out of 5 stars, praising its romantic drama appeal and emotional impact. The New York Times' Manohla Dargis commended Florence Pugh's performance but found the film only superficially modern. Conversely, Brianna Zigler of The A.V. Club criticized the film as "unimaginative and regressive," describing Garfield and Pugh's portrayals as "thin" and unconvincing.

Brian Tallerico at RogerEbert.com gave it 3 out of 4 stars, highlighting Pugh and Garfield's performances as elevating the otherwise shallow script and noting the nonlinear narrative's emotional logic despite potential audience challenges.

Peter Debruge of Variety found the film's sequencing arbitrary and difficult to follow, questioning if there was a way to "unscramble" the narrative. Glenn Whipp of the Los Angeles Times similarly felt the non-linear structure distanced viewers from the characters despite praising the lead performances.