By Design

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By Design

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1h 32m

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71%

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51 Reviews

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Fewer than 50 Ratings

A woman (Juliette Lewis) swaps bodies with a chair, and everyone likes her better as a chair in a surreal, deadpan comedy from director Amanda Kramer.

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Critics Consensus

Amanda Kramer's delicate creation intellectualizes the absurdity of objectification, yet this film won't sit still in the audience's mind and that's By Design.

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Bob Mondello

NPR

2h

Writer and director Amanda Kramer uses interpretive dance and exquisite art direction to create a work that's off-putting, peculiar and inviting all at once -- as much performance art as film, and definitely something to sit with.

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Peyton Robinson

RogerEbert.com

6d

3/4

It is not laugh-out-loud funny, but tragically comical, prompting us to laugh at the superficiality and emotional displacement of its existential questions.

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Natalia Winkelman

New York Times

Feb 12

Kramer has constructed an ironically detached artifact that invites questions about ownership and image and then bats them away, making it a frustrating experience with an intriguing veneer.

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Erik Reeds

Spectrum Culture

19h

By Design is an interesting and forward-thinking work, even if it does come off as a bit of a missed opportunity at times.

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Robert Stinner

In Review Online

1d

By Design, always pleasurable and charming to watch, nonetheless puts forth startling ideas.

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Elijah Fischer

MovieJawn

5d

Kramer’s theatrical direction always lends itself to the kinds of stories she wants to tell, but By Design feels like new ground has been broken.

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Joe C

@JoeinAtl 4d

If this were a student film by 19 year olds, it would all be forgivable - the fragmented storyline, clunky dialogue, unforgiving lighting, makeup and costume. It's not a student film, though, it's made by purported professionals with real actors. It's a novel concept, but seems to be trying so so hard that it becomes too artsy by half.

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Dave J

@ccodave 4d

It was worthwhile seeing even though I felt its true potential was never realized. I was intrigued by its premise (a woman's soul is transferred to a chair coveted by many) but for me there was too much bizarre filler material.

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Amanda Kramer

Director

Juliette Lewis

Camille

Mamoudou Athie

Olivier

Samantha Mathis

Lisa

Robin Tunney

Irene

Alisa Torres

Marta

By Design: Trailer 1

1:39

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Synopsis

A woman (Juliette Lewis) swaps bodies with a chair, and everyone likes her better as a chair in a surreal, deadpan comedy from director Amanda Kramer.

Director: Amanda Kramer
Producer: Jacob Agger, Miranda Bailey, Sarah Winshall, Natalie Whalen, Jake Agger
Screenwriter: Amanda Kramer
Distributor: Music Box Films
Production Co: Smudge Films, Cold Iron Pictures
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 13, 2026, Limited
Runtime: 1h 32m

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