John Crowley’s We Live in Time is a refreshingly unconventional love story told across three distinct timelines. It chronicles the relationship between impulsive chef Almut (Florence Pugh) and timid Tobias (Andrew Garfield), from their meet-cute (she hits him with her car) to the birth of their daughter, and the fateful doctors appointment where Almut is diagnosed with stage three ovarian cancer.

This isn’t a spoiler, as Crowley deftly lays out the story’s non-linear structure early on, spelling out the broad strokes of the story in the opening minutes of the film. It’s an intriguing way to tell the story, and while it loses the build-up to big dramatic moments that you get in more conventional love stories, the result is an always deeply involving film. The leaps in chronology are edited fluidly and Crowley trusts his audience to work it out.

Best of all, both Garfield and Pugh give layered, nuanced performances and have an effortless chemistry together. They bounce off each other nicely, and there’s a natural closeness to them together that gives them a very authentic feel as a couple. Pugh is especially convincing playing a strong-willed, fiery, career driven woman. She gives Almut a hardness that I suppose is necessary for a successful chef, but there’s a warmth and vulnerability.

Garfield gets what is arguably the harder role, all goofy smiles and gentle manners. He is at times infuriatingly patient and reasonable, recalling the quiet passivity of Jim Carrey in Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind. Even his patience has a limit though, as demonstrated in an epic argument scene which is a standout in a film full of heartfelt moments, raw and powerful, showcasing the actors at their best. Welcomingly avoiding Oscar-baity drama, Crowley focuses on the mental toll of the diagnosis, on Almut’s ambition, her drive and her determination to continue pursuing her dreams, even as her body fails her.

For me, this is a facet of a terminal illness rarely depicted on film, the unbearable dichotomy between a mind that is still vital and inquisitive, and a body that is slowly shutting down. It’s a brutally cruel situation, and Pugh gives a masterclass in stoicism, steadfastly refusing to fit into the “dying mother” trope. This is another welcome part of the picture, the refusal to play her as a victim, or to soften her more abrasive traits. Dying people can be selfish too, and while the big argument scene is fairly even-handed, it’s hard to not take Garfield’s side.

While some dialogue swerves into very on-the-nose territory at points, and a tad twee, Pugh and Garfield offer dramatic scenes that are engaging and powerful, offering a feeling of being honest and true-to-life. The birth scene in particular is so authentic and emotional, I defy anyone who has been in that situation to not shed a tear as well as the emotional climax, which is as affecting as you might expect,

We Live in Time is a mature, vibrant piece of filmmaking, with two assured performances. The way it flits about the timeline is unobtrusive, and it largely manages to tell a touching story about a terminal illness without becoming overly sentimental. And while it may have a few lapses in focus, when the performances are so powerful and the filmmaking is so sophisticated, this is easy to forgive.

We Live in Time is out now on Digital, and comes to Blu-ray and DVD from 24 March, order here: https://amzn.to/3EFTlYN