Amanda Kramer’s latest film, *By Design*, presents a surreal and largely perplexing exploration of identity through an unusual premise: a woman transforming into a chair. The film, which opened in UK cinemas on October 16, features Juliette Lewis as a depressed single woman whose spirit ostensibly leaves her body and inhabits a piece of furniture.

In this absurdist drama, the physical manifestation of Lewis’s character does not undergo any visual transformation beyond becoming catatonic, leaving her body collapsed in bed while her essence is said to reside within the chair. Contrary to expectations of visual or narrative humor, the film takes a muted approach, sidestepping any comedic or erotic developments that the storyline’s macabre concept might invite.

Mamoudou Athie plays a musician whose girlfriend purchases the “haunted” chair as a way to make amends for abandoning him. As he becomes fixated on the chair, the film explores his obsession without fully capitalizing on the potentially provocative dynamics the scenario suggests. Udo Kier makes a brief appearance as the chair’s designer, hinting at an unexplained mystery surrounding the furniture, though this thread remains unresolved.

Critics have described the dialogue as delivered in a detached, trance-like manner, contributing to a hypnotic but disengaging atmosphere. The film has been likened to the work of David Lynch in its dreamlike quality, yet many viewers may find that this stylistic choice comes at the expense of coherence and engagement. The narrative’s slow, drifting pace results in a conclusion that some may find as unsatisfying as the film’s earlier developments.

*By Design* continues Amanda Kramer’s exploration of unconventional storytelling; however, reactions suggest it may not resonate widely, despite the involvement of notable actors such as Lewis, Athie, and Kier.