By Design

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By Design

2025

1h 32m

Comedy

Drama

Sci-Fi

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Popcornmeter

73%

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33 Reviews

Popcornmeter

0 Ratings

Camille and Olivier are intriguing people with rich interior character landscapes. But in a society that refuses to acknowledge their existence, is it better to be a chair?

Jourdain Searles

The Hollywood Reporter

The alienating nature of the premise is what makes it fascinating, pushing us to question how we want to be seen and experienced as people in the world.

Feb 13, 2025

Full Review

Tara Judah

Sight & Sound

Amanda Kramer was already one to watch and her fifth dramatic feature proves she is an unmatched voice in American indie cinema.

Feb 12, 2025

Full Review

Brian Tallerico

RogerEbert.com

There are some sharp ideas in “By Design” and one excellent performance, but it often struggles to tie those ideas together in a coherent way, wearing out its welcome long before it’s over.

Jan 25, 2025

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Rachel Wagner

rachelsreviews.net

It really had no story and I felt embarrassed for all involved.

Mar 7, 2025

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Marya E. Gates

Cool People Have Feelings, Too. (Substack)

Amanda Kramer’s films are some of the few that I would actually call Lynchian, because they are not at all like his films, but are so singular in their execution and logic that they could only be made by Kramer.

Feb 28, 2025

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Jim Vorel

Paste Magazine

Kramer’s odd and unclassifiable story is filled with moments of absurdity equally likely to result in delight and consternation, but it remains perplexingly engrossing throughout,

Rated: 7.3/10

Feb 27, 2025

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Synopsis

Camille and Olivier are intriguing people with rich interior character landscapes. But in a society that refuses to acknowledge their existence, is it better to be a chair?

Director: Amanda Kramer
Producer: Miranda Bailey, Sarah Winshall, Natalie Whalen, Jake Agger
Screenwriter: Amanda Kramer
Production Co: Smudge Films, Cold Iron Pictures
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi
Original Language: English
Runtime: 1h 32m