By Design features an unconventional body-swap premise between a woman and a chair
Juliette stars in the surreal comedy directed by Amanda Kramer
The film explores new angles in the familiar body-swap movie genre
Despite its original concept, the film doesn't fully live up to its wild premise
📖 Full Retelling
Director Amanda Kramer's surreal comedy 'By Design' has been released to critical attention, featuring Juliette Lewis in a groundbreaking performance as a woman who inexplicably swaps bodies with a chair, an unconventional twist on the familiar body-swap movie genre that aims to explore new narrative possibilities. The film enters a cinematic landscape crowded with body-swap narratives that typically involve human characters - parents and children, enemies, or strangers. What sets 'By Design' apart is its audacious premise of a human-chair exchange, pushing the boundaries of absurdist comedy. According to early reviews, while the concept is refreshingly original, the execution doesn't fully capitalize on its wild premise, leaving audiences with a sense of missed potential despite the film's courageous attempt at innovation. Body-swap films have been a staple of cinema for decades, offering comedic and dramatic explorations of identity, empathy, and perspective. 'By Design' enters this well-trodden territory with a deliberately bizarre twist that challenges both the characters and the audience. Juliette Lewis's commitment to the role is noted as one of the film's strengths, as she navigates the physical and emotional challenges of embodying both a human consciousness and an inanimate object.
By Design is a 1982 Canadian comedy-drama film directed by Claude Jutra and starring Sara Botsford and Patty Duke. The film was produced by B.D.F. Productions, Canadian Film Development Corporation (CFDC), Fox Productions, and Seven Arts.
Amanda Kramer is a United Kingdom-based American composer and touring musician. Kramer first gained prominence as a member of the techno-pop band Information Society and later performed with other alternative rock and new wave groups such as 10,000 Maniacs, World Party, and the Golden Palominos. She...
Juliette Lake Lewis (born June 21, 1973) is an American actress, singer and musician. She is known for her portrayals of offbeat characters, often in films with dark plots, themes, and settings. Lewis gained prominence in American cinema during the early 1990s, appearing in various independent and a...
No entity connections available yet for this article.
Original Source
Body-swap movies are very familiar territory at this point. Whether it be a story about a parent and child, bitter enemies, or total strangers suddenly living in each other’s shoes, there have been plenty of variations on the theme. That being the case, you’ve got to give By Design credit for actually exploring a different angle on this scenario, by virtue of it being about what happens when an adult woman swaps bodies with a chair. And yes, you read that correctly.
