The Chronology of Water (2026) Review: A Film That Feels Like Memory Itself

Genre – Drama
Director – Kristen Stewart
Writers – (Screenplay) Kristen Stewart – (Based On) The Chronology of Water by Lidia Yuknavitch
Cast – Imogen Poots, Thora Birch, Susannah Flood, Tom Sturridge, Kim Gordon, Michael Epp, Earl Cave, Esmé Creed-Miles, and Jim Belushi
Runtime – 128 Minutes
My Rating – ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐½☆☆

Where to watch/stream The Chronology of Water

The Chronology of Water really made me think about the way trauma sticks.

The Chronology of Water is wild, exhausting, beautiful, and infuriating all at once.

Plot Summary of The Chronology of Water (Spoiler-Free)

Lidia is a young woman who has survived a childhood overshadowed by her father’s abuse, and from those early, fractured years to her time in college and beyond, the film charts Lidia’s journey as she struggles with substance abuse, self-destruction, and the search for meaning, where it moves in fragments, like memories skipping and repeating themselves.

You get to see moments of her life in sharp, almost fleeting detail – the rough edges of adolescence, the intensity of competitive swimming, the reckless freedom of youth, and the slow, sometimes painful work of building a life through writing.

Along the way, she meets mentors, navigates love and friendship, and tries to make sense of the mess she’s inherited, all while carrying the weight of trauma that doesn’t simply disappear.

The Chronology of Water Review: Is It Worth Watching?

The Chronology of Water will hit you in places you didn’t realize a film could reach.

This film will probably annoy you at times though, as It’s fragmented, nonlinear, and unapologetically experimental, and if you’re looking for a neat story with a beginning, middle, and end, you’re going to be a little frustrated.

But if you’re willing to lean into it all, it’s worth it, and the way Stewart captures Lidia’s life feels like watching someone’s memory play back with the kind of precision that’s uncomfortable, hilarious, and devastating all at once.

The first twenty minutes are a wild ride in silence and impressionistic imagery, as you don’t hear Lidia speak right away – you just watch the tiny details of her world, listening to her fragmented voiceover, feeling a strange mix of curiosity and tension.

When she does finally speak, it feels like she’s been holding the entire universe in her throat, and she lets it out in one single, angry line that tells you that this film is not playing by anyone’s rules.

From there, the film moves between chaos and calm, where the college years are chaotic, as we see Lidia making a mess of herself in ways that are both infuriating and painfully relatable, and yet, there’s a sense of grace threaded through it all – through the swimming scenes, the small moments of laughter with friends, and her slow discovery of writing as a lifeline.

Imogen Poots is just fantastic here, as she carries decades of trauma, moments of violent joy, and the messy, stubborn beauty of survival, where she makes the fragmented storytelling feel whole because she is, in herself, whole and fractured at the same time.

Then there’s Ken Kesey, played by Jim Belushi, and yes, I laughed in disbelief the first time I saw him. Belushi is not who you expect in that role, and that’s exactly why it works, as he brings humor, patience, and warmth to Lidia’s chaotic orbit without ever stealing her thunder.

Stewart’s direction here throughout is thoughtful, bold, but occasionally frustrating. The 16mm cinematography is intimate and gorgeous, but at the same time, some stylistic choices, like the sunbursts, flares, and filter effects, occasionally feel like they’re trying too hard to be “arty.”

Water also plays a big part, as you would probably guess from the title – swimming, lakes, pools – they appear constantly, sometimes as a lifeline, sometimes as a threat, telling you that you can can float, but you can also drown, and the film doesn’t let you forget either possibility.

This is a film that asks you to pay attention, to feel things you might usually avoid, and because of that, it’s also profoundly rewarding, where it’s funny, terrifying, tender, messy, and human.

Even with its rough edges, and its occasional indulgences, the performances, the emotion, and the audacity of its storytelling make it more than worth the watch.

What I liked (And What I Didn’t like)

Pros

Imogen Poot

Every emotion, every scar, every burst of energy carries decades of trauma and survival.

Storytelling

The fragmented, nonlinear structure mirrors memory and trauma beautifully.

Kristen Stewart’s Direction

Her sensibilities are all over this, where there’s a restlessness, a fragility, and a sense of danger in the small details.

Jim Belushi as Kesey

Unexpected, hilarious, tender.

Cinematography

16mm close-ups of skin, water, and fleeting gestures create intimacy.

Emotional Honesty

It doesn’t shy away from ugly truths.

Humor

Even in the darkest moments, there are sparks of absurdity that made me laugh out loud.

Cons

Fragmented Story Can Confuse

The nonlinear style is beautiful but occasionally hard to follow. (Maybe a me issue)

Over-Stylized Shots

Some of the effects feel a bit overdone.

Pacing

Some sections drag while others fly by, uneven rhythm.

Who Might Like The Chronology of Water

• If you like character-driven, emotional stories
• If you enjoy non-linear, experimental films
• Those interested in trauma, survival, and recovery narratives
• People who enjoy films with humor threaded into dark subjects
• Anyone willing to lean into uncomfortable truths
• Those who like their cinema bold and unafraid
• Those who don’t need everything neatly tied up

Who Might Dislike The Chronology of Water

• Casual moviegoers wanting a straightforward plot
• Anyone uncomfortable with depictions of abuse and addiction
• People who dislike experimental cinematography or nonlinear storytelling
• Those who need every character fully explained
• If you get distracted by stylistic flourishes
• If you’re uncomfortable with long stretches of silence or voiceover
• Anyone who dislikes emotionally heavy or intense films

Final Verdict: Did I Enjoy Watching The Chronology of Water?

The Chronology of Water really made me think about the way trauma sticks, the ways creativity saves, and how messy life really is.

This is a film that asks something of you and rewards you if you have the patience, and is a bold directorial debut from Kristen Stewart that won’t be for everyone, but I thought it was pretty interesting!

The Chronology of Water Trailer

Simon Leasher

A lover of cinema for over 35 years, I have watched many films from around the world in many different genres, yet I still normally always come back to trashy slasher horror films when in doubt. More

And yes, The Godfather 2 is better than The Godfather.