Almut (Florence Pugh) and Tobias (Andrew Garfield) are brought together in a surprise encounter that changes their lives. As they embark on a path challenged by the limits of time, they learn to cherish each moment of the unconventional route their love story has taken, in filmmaker John Crowley’s decade-spanning, deeply moving romance.

For in-depth thoughts on We Live In Time, please see my colleague Brandon Lewis’s review from its original TIFF debut here.

Video Quality

We Live In Time comes to Blu-Ray in an AVC encoded transfer from a 1080p master in 2.39:1 courtesy of A24 which provides a fetching presentation that showcases this film effortlessly. This lovely transfer offers a consistent image quality throughout without any visual anomalies. Although this was captured digitally, there is some texture to the presentation that is very inviting. Cinematographer Stuart Bentley captures some sumptuous scenery that really thrives in high definition. Colors come alive when it comes to costumes and certain locales with brilliant light sources. Skin tones look natural throughout the runtime. There is no semblance of compression artifacts or other digital nuisances even in the most dimly lit locations. Black levels are strong, and we did not spot any blooming with the highlights. We would have loved to have seen this in 4K UHD Blu-Ray, but this Blu-Ray is very pleasant.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with an immensely pleasing Dolby Atmos track that deftly accomplishes everything it sets out to do. Dialogue is at the forefront of the film, and it always comes through crisp and clear without being dampened by any competing sounds. That being said, some may need the subtitles to parse the accents. The soundtrack and the transfixing score from Bryce Dessner emanate from the speakers with first-rate fidelity. The movie is far from an action film, but it provides texture in the songs and other notable moments. Ambient sounds pop up in the rear channels to capture the nuances of the gentle locale. The overhead channels do not carry the main load, but they expand the palette quite nicely. The audio track is an understated powerhouse. Optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Director John Crowley and writer Nick Payne provide a great commentary track in which they discuss the development of the story, the production of the film, shooting on location, the relationship between the performers, choosing where to put certain scenes, the production design and costumes, subtle moments that mean a lot and much more.

A Whole Life – Making of We Live In Time: A ten-minute featurette in which the cast and creative team discuss the story, the qualities of the characters, the structure of the film, and more.

Postcards: There are six collectible postcards featuring on-set photography by Peter Mountain.

Final Thoughts

We Live In Time is a very emotional drama that uses its structure to share a story that is more than just the destination. By not using certain plot developments as some kind of twist, the story is allowed to reach a deeper level of humanity that allows you to appreciate the full measure of life. This experience would not be what it is without the incredible chemistry between Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield. You fall in love with these two, and you feel every setback and every triumph. There are a few narrative decisions we do not completely vibe with, but it is overall a very good movie. A24 has released a Blu-Ray with a wonderful A/V presentation and some welcome special features. Recommended

We Live In Time is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray at the A24 Shop and other select retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: A24 has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.