The Chronology of Water
A scholarship swimmer turns fragmented memories of abuse, addiction, and family turmoil into a difficult but ultimately hopeful literary awakening.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Dense
- Violence
- Moderate
- harrowing
- intimate
- visceral
- focused solo viewing
- art film night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised Kristen Stewart’s ambitious debut, intimate 16mm style, and Imogen Poots’s raw performance, while noting that its unrelenting pain and uneven pacing can feel repetitive.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Lidia’s upbringing and resurfacing trauma emerge through fragmented memories and experimental chronology.
The film explicitly refuses to portray Lidia Yuknavitch as a perfect victim, emphasizing her agency and contradictions.
Critics specifically highlight the film’s intimate 16mm aesthetics and close focus on Lidia’s trauma.
Lidia finds solace and a renewed sense of self through writing and the art of literature.
Films like The Chronology of Water, and why
The Souvenir
fragmented trauma narrative, intimate female subjectivity, and formally experimental literary drama
Saint Omer
autobiographical artistic self-discovery, psychological fracture, and challenging experimental aesthetics
The Tale
raw coming-of-age trauma, abusive family dynamics, and emotionally intense independent filmmaking
Wendy and Lucy
poetic memory structure, female artistic identity, and melancholic autobiographical drama
Movie Details
- Director
- Kristen Stewart
- Release Date
- 2025-10-15
- Runtime
- 128 min
- Rating
- 6.7 / 10 (98)
Cast
- Imogen Poots
- Thora Birch
- Jim Belushi
- Tom Sturridge
- Earl Cave
- Michael Epp
- Charlie Carrick
- Susannah Flood
- Kim Gordon
- Esmé Creed-Miles
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Chronology of Water about?
- A scholarship swimmer turns fragmented memories of abuse, addiction, and family turmoil into a difficult but ultimately hopeful literary awakening.
- What is The Chronology of Water like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Chronology of Water as measured, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as dense.
- Is The Chronology of Water violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Chronology of Water as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Chronology of Water?
- Critics broadly praised Kristen Stewart’s ambitious debut, intimate 16mm style, and Imogen Poots’s raw performance, while noting that its unrelenting pain and uneven pacing can feel repetitive.
- Which films are like The Chronology of Water?
- Films with a similar feel include The Souvenir, Saint Omer, The Tale, and Wendy and Lucy.
- How long is The Chronology of Water?
- The Chronology of Water runs 128 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Chronology of Water?
- In United States, The Chronology of Water is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
