The Chronology of Water: Film Review
I had a feeling that Kristen Stewart‘s feature directorial debut The Chronology of Water would be a bit too experimental for my liking and I was 100% on the money. It definitely won’t be everyone’s cup of tea but there’s a lot to appreciate in here.
Based on Lidia Yuknavitch‘s 2011 memoir of the same name, this biographical drama stars Imogen Poots as Yuknavitch, who derailed her competitive swimming career with her drug and alcohol abuse and later became an acclaimed writer.
The Chronology of Water is a heavy watch with many trigger warnings. Yuknavitch experienced more trauma and tragedy in her first 30ish years than one person should ever endure in a lifetime. Her addiction and cycle of self-destructive behaviour stem from the abuse she suffered at the hands of her father as a child. It is quite bleak and depressing watching someone go through so much hardship and take it out on themselves. But it’s ultimately hopeful and proof that if you keep going, you will eventually end up on the other side.
Stewart’s method of storytelling will be off-putting for some. The first 10 minutes or so is basically a montage of evocative images with a softly-spoken, almost whispered voiceover from Poots and a discordant score. I would not have been able to sit through two hours of that. Thankfully, it settles into a more conventional narrative, although it still jumps around in time, only gives us small fragmented snapshots of Yuknavitch’s life over the years and prefers poetic narration over spoken dialogue on screen. We do get some traditional conversational scenes but they are quite rare.
You are told enough to get the gist of her story and it’s more about building a feeling and giving us a sense of her life instead of spelling it out in a traditional way. I really respect Stewart for choosing a bold and unusual storytelling style, even if I didn’t enjoy it, per se. It’s heavily edited and we are presented with an onslaught of imagery in quick succession and it can be a lot. There are some striking images in those moments but I liked it best when it slowed down and let the story breathe. But not too much – it already feels quite long.
I’ve always been a big fan of Poots so her performance doesn’t surprise me, but she is absolutely sensational. Her character goes through a lot and she has to go to some incredibly vulnerable places. She is a raw nerve and a live wire who can’t be tamed. She is too wild and self-destructive for anyone to stick around for long. Out of all the performances I’ve seen this year, she would be my pick for the Oscar. But a small indie like this won’t be a part of the conversation.
The Chronology of Water is not a film I can say I actively enjoyed. It’s very full-on, all over the place and slightly pretentious, but I respected the hell of what Stewart was trying to achieve.
Seen at the London Film Festival. In cinemas from Friday 6th February