The Chronology of Water movie review: Imogen Poots shines in Kristen Stewart’s bleak directorial debut

The fact that it works, to a degree, is thanks to Poots, whose commitment to Lidia’s self-flagellation and self-destruction is total. The editing connects the disjointed notes through the metaphor of water well, and the soundtrack with sudden whack-like notes is striking because it could be anything from Lidia’s father’s slap, to her swimming coach’s swat on the bump, to the splash in water as she swims (in what begins as a desperate bid to get away from home and her father played by Epp).

Birch as her elder sister who suffers the same fate as Lidia, and Belushi as the real-life writer Ken Kesey (One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest) who offers Lidia a second chance, hold a brave candle to her constantly stoked flame.

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Yuknavitch’s book by the same name was, by all accounts, not an easy book to adapt. Stewart deserves credit for making the attempt.

Ironically, departing from the flow here and there may have lightened the load, and allowed The Chronology of Water to come up for much-needed air.

The Chronology of Water movie director: Kristen Stewart
The Chronology of Water movie cast: Imogen Poots, Thora Birch, Jim Belushi, Michael Epp
The Chronology of Water movie rating: 2.5 stars