‘By Design’ Review: Juliette Lewis Plays a Chair in an Absurdist Comedy That Fascinates and Alienates

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Ever since Amanda Kramer’s feminine spinoff of Lord of the Flies titled Ladyworld premiered at Fantasia Fest in 2018, her films have grown increasingly peculiar and abstract. Her subsequent projects, Please, Baby, Please and Give Me Pity!, were both avant-garde musicals filmed and staged in a retro manner. Among these, Please, Baby, Please – the more daring of the two – welcomed Demi Moore back to the screen, marking her return to art films and setting the stage for her revitalized career as the leading actress in The Substance.

The show By Design takes care to feature actresses who Hollywood has overlooked for quite some time – the likes of Robin Tunney, Samantha Mathis, Melanie Griffith, and Juliette Lewis (an Academy Award nominee). In this fictional world they aren’t confined to playing stereotypical roles like weary moms or overworked teachers. Instead, they are free to live a fashionable life filled with witty banter and engaging dialogue on screen.

In this movie, we follow the life of Camille (Lewis), a solo, mature woman who enjoys a peaceful lifestyle with her two closest friends, Lisa (Mathis) and Irene (Tunney). One day after lunch, they go shopping and Camille is captivated by a stunning golden-brown chair. The narrator (Griffith) describes it as breathtaking, and many others agree. It has top-notch woodwork with an elegant, sleek design that would suit any sophisticated home. As soon as Camille sets eyes on the chair, she’s determined to buy it, even though it’s costly. The trio admires the chair while the saleswoman Sarah (Madison McKinley) displays some displeasure. The chair is so pricey that Camille has to go home and review her budget before coming back to make the purchase.

However, upon her arrival in the morning with cash, the chair has already been given away to Marta (Alisa Torres) as a farewell present for her ex-boyfriend Olivier (Mamoudou Athie), a sorrowful pianist. Disappointed, Camille requests Sarah if she could feel the chair before departing. But upon doing so, something extraordinary takes place: Her spirit departs from her body and inhabits the chair instead.

Irene carries Camille’s physical form back home, leaving her spirit entwined with a chair, which is then sent to Olivier. The arrival of this chair noticeably lifts Olivier’s spirits, causing him to rely on it for emotional sustenance. With Marta taking all other pieces of furniture, the chair stands alone in Olivier’s home, serving as his solitary companion. It’s possible that Camille’s spirit is what attracts him to this chair, providing him with comfort and helping him cope with his feelings of isolation.

While Camille remains motionless in her apartment, her friends and family drop by, assuming she’s playing hard-to-get or upset with them for some reason. They believe she’s deeply depressed, but the truth is different: Camille isn’t depressed or envious of others. Instead, a recurring quote throughout the movie encapsulates her feelings – “Resentment is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.” Camille doesn’t envy her friends’ wealth or relationships. She’s not clinically depressed, finding peace in the simplicity of her life. It’s living that she seems disinterested in. What she yearns for isn’t money or love; she wants to be admired without having to fulfill the responsibilities of being a real person. Camille desires to be cherished, desired, and esteemed merely for her beauty.

In a unique manner, Olivier cherishes Camille much like one would a chair, possibly due to her tranquil essence. The movie By Design embraces its sentimental nature, giving equal weight to the unconventional bond between Olivier and his chair, as well as any other relationship. When dining with friends, Olivier invariably brings his chair along. During slumber, he often dreams of being invaded by others, disturbing his private moments with it. For Camille, simply being needed and offering comfort without demanding personal recognition is enough.

Ultimately, as those around them grow more agitated by the enigmatic bond shared by the couple, reality begins to encroach upon Camille’s idyllic vision. Kramer’s screenplay delves into profound philosophical themes, exploring the essence of existence and the weighty impact of emotions such as love, animosity, and envy on our lives.

In “By Design”, we find a visually stunning movie, boasting stylishly designed interiors and characters adorned in vibrant, fashionable attire. The realm where Camille dwells is aesthetically pleasing, and her aspiration is to blend into this picturesque setting as an attractive addition that a production designer might include in a scene. Instead of taking on the role herself, why not simply remain stationary, basking in admiring gazes?

Contrasting Camille’s longings, “By Design” employs a troupe of dancers who inhabit the dreamscapes shared by Camille and Olivier. It is during these instances that the film takes on a performance art quality, expressing a pleasure so abstract that words fail to capture it.

Griffith’s narrative provides understanding for the film’s outlandish moments, her distinctive, playful, and feminine voice serving as our guide through the dramatic scenes in the movie. Similar to “Give Me Pity!“, “By Design” seems to be a theatrical exploration of a single woman’s extraordinary thoughts. The thought-provoking ideas and artistic elements found in Kramer’s creations may not resonate with everyone, and it’s likely that many viewers won’t find a connection with “By Design“. However, the unconventional nature of the storyline is what makes it intriguing, encouraging us to ponder how we wish to be perceived and understood as human beings in society. In the midst of daily life’s demands, wouldn’t it be comforting to find a moment of stillness?

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2025-01-31 22:55