“By Design”

Director: Amanda Kramer

Cast: Juliette Lewis, Mamoudou Athie, Samantha Mathis, Robin Tunney, Betty Buckley, and Melanie Griffith

Plot: Upon seeing a gorgeous chair in a showroom, Camille (Juliette Lewis) realizes that she truly envies the life of this perfect piece of furniture. If only she could be someone’s favorite thing. When she and the chair swap forms, Camille learns that she is better liked as an inanimate object than she was as a person: her mother (Betty Buckley) finds her to be a better listener, and her best friends (Samantha Mathis and Robin Tunney) enjoy a newfound, friction-free rapport. As the chair, Camille is unable to speak or move and winds up in the hands of Olivier (Mamoudou Athie), a minimalist bachelor who gradually becomes romantically fixated on his elegant new possession.

Review:

This film is so…absurd.

But I loved it. The film centers around Camille, played by the fabulous Juliette Lewis, who envies a piece of wood furniture she sees in a local shop. She swaps form with the chair and we learn unfortunately the people in her life don’t value her as much as she values them.

Lewis is fantastic in this role. She gives depth to her character SOMEHOW as she’s motionless, letting the other actors physically act around her. Robin Tunney is great as one of Camille’s friends, but it is acting legend Betty Buckley who gives a scene stealing turn as Camille’s mother. It was great to hear Melanie Griffith’s voice narrating. Her voice is still like buttah.

The set design and costumes are superb as well. As much as I enjoyed this, I feel it may have been better pulled off onstage. It would be a spectacle, especially with the interpretive dance numbers.

It may be a little absurd, but I literally could not keep my eyes off the screen. This is definitely one for the art house fans!

*** out of *****

“By Design” is now available to rent on Amazon, Fandango, Apple TV, YouTube and Google Play!