5.9
Viewer Rating
Combines user and critic ratings from four sources
By Design (2026)
By Design (2026)
Overview
By Design is a surreal drama written and directed by Amanda Kramer. Juliette Lewis stars as Camille, a lonely woman who swaps bodies with an armchair. Supporting cast includes Mamoudou Athie as Olivier, Samantha Mathis as Lisa, Robin Tunney as Irene, and Melanie Griffith as the narrator. The film premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.
Starring Cast
Where to watch
Rating & Dimensions
Bias Rating
Analyzing...
Leans Progressive
Political: Leans Left
Diversity: Moderate
Family Values: Mixed
Viewer Rating
5.9
Overview
By Design is a surreal drama written and directed by Amanda Kramer. Juliette Lewis stars as Camille, a lonely woman who swaps bodies with an armchair. Supporting cast includes Mamoudou Athie as Olivier, Samantha Mathis as Lisa, Robin Tunney as Irene, and Melanie Griffith as the narrator. The film premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.
Starring Cast
Where to watch
Detailed Bias Analysis
Analyzing...
Leans Progressive
Primary
The film's surreal narrative literalizes female objectification, portraying women as undervalued in social structures compared to inanimate objects. This feminist critique of gender roles and isolation determines the left-leaning bias.
The film incorporates visible racial diversity through supporting roles played by actors of color and features a queer sensibility in its themes of identity, perception, and desire. Subtle feminist undertones critique objectification without centering explicit attacks on traditional white or male identities.
Secondary
The film lacks meaningful depictions of family structures, roles, or values, featuring only a peripheral mention of a mother's visit without exploring dynamics or norms. This absence results in a neutral portrayal of family life.
The film contains no LGBTQ+ characters or explicit queer themes. Its exploration of women's invisibility and the male gaze offers indirect appeal to queer viewers through motifs of otherness, but remains centered on heterosexual female experiences.
No transsexual characters or themes appear in the film. The story's body-swap premise between a woman and an object underscores objectification without engaging transgender identity.
The movie does not contain any action or adventure elements.
By Design presents an original story with newly created characters in a surreal comedy. No adaptations, historical figures, or legacy roles involve gender alterations.
By Design features original characters created for the film, with no established racial baselines from source material or history, resulting in no race swaps.
Viewer Rating Breakdown
User Ratings
4.9
5.4
Critic Ratings
7.2
6.3
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