Film Review: THE CHRONOLOGY OF WATER (2025): Kristen Stewart’s Masterful Work of Art is an Unflinching Look at Life After Trauma
The Chronology of Water Review
The Chronology of Water (2025) Film Review, a movie directed by Kristen Stewart, written by Lidia Yuknavitch and Kristen Stewart and starring Imogen Poots, Thora Birch, Jim Belushi, Tom Sturridge, Charlie Carrick, Susannah Flood, Kim Gordon, Jeremy Ang Jones, Earl Cave, Michael Epp, Alexander Johnson, Esme Allen, Anna Wittowsky, Alina Lytvynova, Hal Weaver and Anton Lytvynov.
Imogen Poots delivers the performance of her career in the remarkable, devastatingly complex drama from director Kristen Stewart, The Chronology of Water. Poots tears into her role as Lidia with unparalleled ferociousness that Stewart captures to a tee in each remarkable frame of this dramatic and powerfully constructed story of survival, hope and freedom of personal expression. Poots’ layered work is so multi-faceted, it may be hard for the audience to initially connect with her because we haven’t seen a character quite like this on-screen in some time or at all. Poots carries the weight of the movie, but Stewart properly supports her with the cinematic visuals and other tools that Poots needs to carry the performance past the finish line.
This is a tale of trauma told with authenticity and visual style that is laced with the kind of hope that helps make it possible for other survivors of abuse to feel a sense of compassion and purpose in their own lives after seeing the film. This movie is not just recommended viewing for movie lovers or people who can relate to the main character, but a picture that demands to be seen by everyone. Its central tale of human complexity is both riveting and effective to the point of being a story that demands to be told and needs to be seen.
Yes, it’s true that Stewart’s direction is anything but subtle. Lidia is a woman with integrity who starts out lost due to the abuse she faced by her father (played effectively by Michael Epp), but as a result of the life she leads after the trauma, Lidia finds a sense of purpose, belonging and a love of the craft of writing. Interested in swimming at the outset, she yearns for a major change in her life and her dad doesn’t make it easy when the school acceptance letters come. Lidia’s talent is undeniable, but she’s held back by her father’s confused sense of self which is frightening at times to behold on-screen. When Lidia marries a young man who doesn’t appear to have much of a backbone (Earl Cave) and finds herself pregnant, she moves in with her sister, Claudia (Thora Birch of American Beauty). Claudia has experienced firsthand the internal demons that are haunting Lidia and Claudia can try to be there for Lidia for as long as possible.
When Lidia is referred to a writing program run by One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest author, Ken Kesey (Jim Belushi), she learns the craft of storytelling which helps her come to terms with her delicate and disturbing past experiences. Lidia is never portrayed as perfect. She’s flawed as everybody is and experiments with herself sexually through masturbation and through sex with others, including a man named Devin (Tom Sturridge) who may be able to keep up with her more than the last guy could if she wants him to after their initial contact. A flirtation with BDSM also occurs, suggesting Lidia is able to explore darker areas of life and her own body in ways that others may have certainly shied away from in her circumstances.
As Lidia begins the craft of teaching others how to write, she is touched by kindness. She is offered a car to get to work and realizes what it’s like to have people who listen to what she has to say. Lidia is developed fully as a character in this film through sharp editing and crisp direction as well as flawless script writing. The actress who portrays Lidia as a younger girl is Anna Wittowsky who excels in just a brief amount of screen time. Poots takes the role here and inhibits it with a confidence that is, at times, shaken as the character is haunted by a past, present and potential future which she realizes she can only control to a certain extent until she transforms into her own true self and takes life by the horns.
Thora Birch comes up with her best work in years as the sister who has a strong bond with Lidia. Birch and Poots’ scenes together are well-orchestrated and are, ultimately, quite moving. Cave surprises in an emotional performance that has more depth than it appears it would have possessed in its initial stages. Belushi sinks his teeth into his role as the famed writer and ends up with his most successful dramatic film performance in some time. Charlie Carrick is also effective in a small, but pivotal, role within the picture. We can see how Lidia changes one step at a time (and not always for the better) thanks to Poots who deserves serious awards consideration this season for the way she brings this fact-based character to life.
The Chronology of Water is Kristen Stewart’s masterful tale of sorrow, hope and perseverance. Commandeered by the work of the incomparable Poots, this is a powerful movie that shows the many aspects that go hand-in-hand with trauma. Though Lidia’s dad has done unspeakable things to his daughters, it becomes unclear if he fully understands what he has done at the end. This film is smart enough not to spell everything out for the viewer and should inspire conversations afterwards that will fill in the blanks that Stewart purposefully places within the movie. The Chronology of Water is an important event film that should not be missed. Stewart leaves her mark as one of the most distinct and best directors working today with her triumphant work on this picture.
Rating: 9.5/10
Leave your thoughts on this The Chronology of Water review and the film below in the comments section. Readers seeking to support this type of content can visit our Patreon Page and become one of FilmBook’s patrons. Readers seeking more film reviews can visit our Movie Review Page, our Movie Review Twitter Page, and our Movie Review Facebook Page. Want up-to-the-minute notifications? FilmBook staff members publish articles by Email, Mobile App, Google News, Apple News, Feedly, Twitter, Faceboo
Related Articles
