Just saw 'We Live in Time,' and I think I figured out the gimmick (maybe?)

Okay, so I just got back from 'We Live in Time,' and everyone's already calling it the feel-good movie of the year, blah blah blah. Look, it wasn't bad. The acting was fine, the food looked good (always a plus in my book), and yeah, I choked up a little at the end. But here's my problem: This movie is SO obviously trying to manipulate you. Like, aggressively trying. I'm pretty sure the whole 'decade-spanning romance' thing is a misdirection. My theory? One of them is dead the whole time. Think about it. All the 'chance encounters' are just TOO convenient. And did anyone else notice how the camera lingers on the empty chair in the kitchen scenes? It's subtle, but it's there! I’m leaning towards the chef being the deceased one, haunting his old apartment and influencing the divorcee's life. Or maybe it's the other way around! Either way, the 'love story' is just a way to soften the blow of the inevitable 'twist'. Honestly, I feel like I'm taking crazy pills here. Everyone in the theater was sobbing, and I was just sitting there picking apart the narrative. Am I the only one who thinks it's all way too saccharine? Maybe I'm just jaded, but I smell a rat (and maybe a few strategically placed onions for added emotional effect). Thoughts?