The Chronology of Water

2.5/5

An admirable debut from Kristen Stewart, her talent for direction is clearly on display in this abstract, adapted memoir of Lidia Yuknavitch. Unfortunately, this experimental film does not fully cohere as a whole. Blending Charlotte Wells’ Aftersun-like dreaminess with more conventional biopic reenactments, the film functions better as a showcase for Stewart’s emerging directorial voice and Imogen Poots’ performance than as a fully realized work.

The chaptered structure and tepid pacing make this two-hour film feel twice its length—and, through no fault of its own given its basis in real events, the material is predictably difficult to endure. This overwritten adaptation would benefit from a firmer editorial hand, as the film presents genuinely harrowing moments from Lidia’s childhood, only to dilute their impact through repetition and insistence. There may be a five-star film here if Stewart abandoned the chapter structure and trusted the audience to grasp the story roughly 50% faster than the film permits.

A final note of praise: the Jim Belushi cameo as author Ken Kesey is excellent, serving as a compelling pseudo–father figure during a formative period in Lidia’s life.