Director: The Chronology of Water

Stars: Imogen Poots, Michael Epp, Jim Belushi, Thora Birch

Kristen Stewart' directorial debut, an adaptation of writer and educator Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoirs, is accomplished if at times over-reaching. A bright student and accomplished swimmer, Lidia grows up with a sexually and emotionally abusive father (Epp), depressive cowed mother, as well as her elder sister Claudia who defends her by distracting her dad. An early scene shows Lidia’s stern dad reading her college acceptance scholarship letter and belittling her as it only covers three quarters of the fees. In another flashback sequence, the family drive to get a Christmas tree, and Lidia’s father insists that Claudia accompanies him into the forest to get it. Her sister’s blank expression when she returns gives away what went on. College provides some release for Lidia (played in her teen and adult incarnation by Imogen Poots), but her internalised trauma means she spends much of her time drinking, taking coke and masturbating. She also picks on her boyfriend Phillip (Cave) for being sensitive and weak. Her writing efforts secure her a place in an unorthodox writing workshop ran by counterculture author Ken Kesey (an excellent Belushi) who recognises her talents and takes her under his wing. The picture occasionally overly insists on itself with its breathy Terrence Malick-style narration and self-consciously tactile and lyrical visuals, and the relentless depiction of trauma becomes a little wearying over the 130-minute running time. Poots anchors the story though with a raw and vital central performance.

David Willoughby

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