By Design
Music Box Films | Release Date: February 13, 2026 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
63
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 13 Critic Reviews
Positive:
9
Mixed:
4
Negative:
0

Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
60
The New York TimesNatalia WinkelmanFeb 12, 2026
Kramer has constructed an ironically detached artifact that invites questions about ownership and image and then bats them away, making it a frustrating experience with an intriguing veneer. Read full review
55
The Daily BeastNick SchagerJan 23, 2025
Those with a hankering for willfully pretentious absurdity may find this festival entry right up their alley. Read full review
50
The Film StageJohn FinkFeb 5, 2025
Inspired by objectification, By Design, by design, tests the patience of viewers via Kramer’s precise direction and controlled mise-en-scène, designed by Grace Surnow and photographed by Patrick Meade Jones––unfortunately, the challenge never feels rewarding. Perhaps that’s the point: aspirational luxury sells the sizzle, not the steak. Read full review
50
ColliderMatt DonatoJan 27, 2025
Kramer plays with surreal department store catalog visuals and body-swap quirkiness, leaning heavily on interpretive dance to convey meaning. There's nothing like it, but with such extravagant boldness comes risks, and they don’t always pay off. Read full review
More From This Movie

63 Critic Reviews

tbd User Reviews

Details & Credits|Trailers

Current Movie Releases
By MetascoreBy User Score
1 77 Project Hail Mary
2 75 Send Help
3 73 Hoppers
4 71 The Sheep Detectives
5 68 Crime 101
SEE ALL
Essential Links
New on Amazon Prime Video
New on Netflix
Coming Soon to DVD/Blu-ray
SEE ALL