Amanda Kramer’s latest film, “By Design,” is about a woman who exchanges her body with a wooden chair she admires, living her life henceforth as that inanimate object. The unconventional plot brilliantly demonstrates Kramer’s unique perspective, enticing the viewer till the very end.
The protagonist, Camille (played by Juliette Lewis), enters a chair shop unimpressed until she lays eyes on an irresistible wooden chair, described as a “stunner” by the film’s narrator (Melanie Griffith). Overnight, she swaps bodies with the chair, laying lifeless in the showroom while watching her new body – a wooden chair – get transported to its new owner, Olivier (Mamoudou Athie).
The film captures not only Camille’s journey as a chair but also delves into the idle existence of her body left behind at her apartment, sparking uneasy discussions among her friends and family. Ironically, through her immobile existence, she manages to gain a newfound clarity about the lives of those around her.
Leaning towards the avant-garde theatre, Kramer’s film is more focused on stylistic renditions than realism. It combines witty dialogue, dramatic scenes, and enigmatic narration to set a fascinating tone, instructing us to not take the narrative too seriously.
However, beneath its absurd veneer rests topics of identity anxiety, desires and societal expectations, especially amongst its female characters. Through her peculiar journey of body swap, Camille discovers more about herself than she could as a human.
The performance of the leads, Lewis and Athie, along with Griffith’s amusing voiceover narration, is commendable. They successfully translate the written absurdity into relatable characters.
Despite the compelling plot, the whimsical narrative of “By Design” functions better as a thought-provoking exercise than a complete film. Nonetheless, Kramer accomplishes creating an extraordinary universe with her masterful story-telling and compelling plots that pushes the boundaries of contemporary cinema.
