You’ve seen the memes. You’ve probably seen that terrifyingly viral carousel horse. More importantly, you’ve heard that We Live in Time, the A24-backed tearjerker starring Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield, is the kind of movie that leaves you emotionally wrecked in the best way possible. Naturally, the first thing everyone does is open their streaming apps.
People are constantly asking if they can watch We Live in Time on Showtime right now. It makes sense. Showtime—now officially integrated with Paramount+—has been the historical home for A24's prestige catalog. If you want to see Everything Everywhere All At Once or Past Lives, that’s usually where you go. But streaming rights are a messy, tangled web of contracts that change faster than Florence Pugh changes her hairstyle in this movie.
The Showtime and Paramount+ Connection: Where the Movie Fits
Let’s get the big question out of the way. As of early 2026, the status of We Live in Time on Showtime is a bit of a moving target.
Showtime and A24 have a long-standing output deal. This deal essentially says that once a movie finishes its theatrical run and its digital "buy/rent" window, it heads to Showtime’s linear channel and the Paramount+ with Showtime streaming tier. However, We Live in Time had a massive theatrical rollout. Because it performed so well at the box office, the "theatrical-to-streaming" window was pushed back.
Usually, these films take about 5 to 9 months to land on a "free" (subscription-based) platform after they hit theaters. If you are looking for the movie on the Paramount+ app under the Showtime brand, you need to check your specific subscription tier. If you have the basic Paramount+ plan, it won't be there. You specifically need the "Paramount+ with Showtime" plan to access these A24 titles.
Honestly, it's annoying. You’re paying for one thing, but you need the "plus" version of the "plus" version. That's just the reality of the streaming wars in 2026.
Why Everyone Is Obsessed with This Specific Film
John Crowley directed this. You might know him from Brooklyn, which was also a masterclass in making people cry without being manipulative. We Live in Time uses a non-linear structure. It jumps between the couple's first meeting (a literal car accident), the birth of their child, and Almut’s (Pugh) cancer diagnosis.
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The chemistry between Garfield and Pugh is scary good. Like, "are they actually dating?" good. (They aren't, but the internet loves to pretend). Garfield plays Tobias, a man who is basically a human golden retriever, while Pugh’s Almut is a high-achieving chef.
The non-linear editing is what makes the Showtime experience different from seeing it in a theater. When you watch it at home, you can pause. You can rewind that specific scene where they’re trying to navigate a high-pressure kitchen while dealing with devastating medical news. It hits differently when you’re on your couch.
How to Watch if It’s Not on Your Showtime App Yet
If you’ve searched We Live in Time on Showtime and come up empty, don't panic. There are three stages to an A24 movie release:
- The Theatrical Window: This is over. You might find a stray indie theater playing it, but it’s mostly gone from the big chains.
- The VOD (Video On Demand) Window: This is where the movie lives right now for most people. You can go to Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, or Google Play. You’ll pay about $5.99 to rent it or $19.99 to own it.
- The Pay-One Window: This is the Showtime/Paramount+ phase.
If you are a Showtime subscriber through a cable package (like Xfinity or Spectrum), you can often use your cable credentials to log into the Paramount+ app. It’s a bit of a workaround, but it works.
Does A24 have a deal with Max or Netflix?
Sometimes people get confused because Uncut Gems was on Netflix or Priscilla showed up elsewhere. But for the most part, the A24/Showtime partnership is the gold standard for these specific "prestige" dramas. You aren't going to find We Live in Time on Netflix anytime soon. HBO (Max) used to have a slice of the pie, but they’ve pivoted more toward their own Warner Bros. Discovery content.
Breaking Down the "Showtime with Paramount+" Integration
A couple of years ago, Showtime stopped existing as a standalone app. This caused a massive amount of technical headaches. Basically, Showtime became a "brand" inside the Paramount+ ecosystem.
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- You have to navigate to the "Hubs" section.
- Look for the big Showtime logo.
- Search specifically for We Live in Time.
If the movie shows a "lock" icon, it means your subscription level isn't high enough. It’s a bait-and-switch that drives people crazy, but it’s the current business model.
Is the Movie Worth the Rental Fee?
Let’s be real. $20 is a lot for a digital file. But if you’re planning a date night or you just need a good, cathartic sob, this is the one. It’s better than All of Us Strangers. It’s more accessible than The Zone of Interest.
The film deals with time in a way that feels very "real world." It’s not a sci-fi movie. There’s no time travel. It’s just about how memory works—how we remember the birth of a kid at the same time we remember a bad argument about breakfast.
Technical Specs for Your Home Theater
If you are lucky enough to stream We Live in Time on Showtime (or via rental), pay attention to the visuals. Crowley and his cinematographer, Benedict Erlingsson, used specific color palettes for the different timelines.
- The Early Years: Warmer, golden tones. Lots of soft light.
- The "Present" (Illness): Cooler, sharper, slightly more clinical but still intimate.
- The Parenthood Phase: Very naturalistic, messy lighting.
If your TV has "Motion Smoothing" on, turn it off immediately. Please. This movie was shot to look like film, and "soap opera mode" ruins the texture of Florence Pugh's performance.
A Quick Word on the Viral Carousel Horse
You can't talk about this movie without the horse. It was an accidental marketing genius. The horse appears in a scene where Tobias and Almut are at a fair. The animatronic horse’s face looks like it’s seen the end of the universe. It became a meme before the trailer even finished its first week. Does it distract from the movie? For the first five seconds, maybe. Then the acting takes over and you forget the horse looks like it’s screaming internally.
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What to Do Next
If you’ve checked your apps and the movie isn’t there, here is your checklist for getting it on your screen tonight:
Check your Paramount+ account settings to ensure you have the Showtime Add-on. Without this, the movie won't appear in your library even if the "Showtime" logo is visible on the home screen.
Look at the JustWatch or Reelgood apps. These are free tools that track exactly which streaming service has a movie on any given day. They are much more reliable than Google’s sometimes-outdated snippets.
If you don't want to wait for the rotation, just rent it on Amazon or Apple. Sometimes your time and the lack of frustration are worth the six bucks.
If you are a physical media fan, A24 often releases special "Collector’s Editions" on their own website. These usually come out a few months after the Showtime premiere and include some of the best behind-the-scenes books in the industry.
Lastly, make sure you have tissues. Seriously. This isn't a "background movie" you watch while folding laundry. Give it your full attention, turn the lights down, and let the non-linear storytelling do its thing. You’ll come away from it wanting to hug your people a little tighter, which is exactly what a good movie is supposed to do.