By Design

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1:39

By Design

Feb 2026

1h 32m

Comedy

Drama

Sci-Fi

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Popcornmeter

72%

Tomatometer

54 Reviews

Popcornmeter

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.

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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Rob Silverman Ascher

Chicago Reader

Feb 24

By Design is gorgeous—particularly with Sophie Hardeman’s costuming—but possibly too loopy for some. If you like it strange, By Design will give you a lot to sit with.

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Coleman Spilde

Salon.com

Feb 20

Sstick around, and you will find that Kramer’s take on the subgenre is far more fascinating and pertinent to life outside the movie theater than most of its peers.

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Bob Mondello

NPR

Feb 20

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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Jeffrey M. Anderson

Common Sense Media

Mar 6

3/5

This absurdist, experimental film is an odd experience and won't be to everyone's tastes, but its themes of objectification and possession are interesting, and it certainly never gets dull.

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Erik Reeds

Spectrum Culture

Feb 19

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

Feb 18

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

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John F. T....

Mar 1

this movie is amazing , one of the best movies ever.

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Olivier R

@RT28403837 May 17

It's interesting and has it's moments, but thinking that's worth 90 minutes of people's time is beyond pretentious. Some people will obviously pretend to love this and argue deep and meaningful symbolism and discourse. Those people deserve that movie.

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Vincent S

@Vin_E_At_The_Movies Mar 20

By Design would be better as a short 30-minute film. It is original and has some good ideals plus Juliette Lewis is great. It is too long of a movie to be really effective though.

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Bmac T

@RT39473920 Mar 18

I love Juliette Lewis, especially in Natural Born Killers. This movie was so slow, boring, weird and lame. I got through less than 20 minutes.

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Joe C

@JoeinAtl Feb 15

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 Feb 15

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
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 17, 2026
Box Office (Gross USA): $32.5K
Runtime: 1h 32m