Certificate: PG

Running Time: 94 mins

UK Distributor: Universal Pictures

UK Release Date: 8 November 2024

REVIEWED AT TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2024

WHO’S IN PIECE BY PIECE?

Pharrell Williams, Morgan Neville, Gwen Stefani, Kendrick Lamar, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Pusha T

WHO’S BEHIND THE CAMERA?

Morgan Neville (director, writer, producer), Oscar Vazquez, Aaron Wickenden and Jason Zeldes (writers, editors), Caitrin Rogers, Mimi Valdes, Joshua Wexler and Pharrell Williams (producers), Michael Andrews (composer)

WHAT’S IT ABOUT?

The story of musician Pharrell Williams – as told through LEGO pieces…

WHAT ARE MY THOUGHTS ON PIECE BY PIECE?

A key indicator of how bad things are right now over at David Zaslav’s Warner Bros is seeing how many of its most lucrative properties jump ship over to rival studios, in particular Universal. Christopher Nolan bailed in the aftermath of Warner Bros’ controversial pandemic-era decision to release its movies day-and-date onto streaming, and as a result they were denied the opportunity to distribute what would turn out to be Nolan’s Oscar-winning masterpiece Oppenheimer. Even the Looney Tunes, the studio’s most iconic creations, are having to outsource some of their movies to independent distributors, especially after what Zaslav did to poor Coyote vs. Acme.

Then, there’s the ill-sighted decision to let the rights to its LEGO Movie franchise lapse, after the commercial disappointment of later entries. Once again, it was Universal to the rescue, and now not only is the studio committed to a number of projects featuring those little plastic figurines, but they’re willing to get a bit more unexpected with their output than Warners would likely ever allow. Take, for instance, Piece by Piece, a fully animated documentary from filmmaker Morgan Neville that utilises the eye-catching animation style of previous LEGO movies to tell the inspiring story of music multihyphenate Pharrell Williams, which is just as inventive and captivating as it sounds. And, unlike what Zaslav would undoubtedly order, free to express itself as proudly as it can.

In typical documentary style, Williams leads the viewer on a whimsical and occasionally fantastical account of his early life, his big break into music, and all the highs and lows that came with his unprecedented success in the industry. All of it, of course, told through that dazzling slowed frame rate CG animation that gives the illusion of traditional stop-motion, and with the natural unrehearsed voices of Williams and many other notable interview subjects, from Snoop Dogg to Justin Timberlake to Gwen Stefani, overlayed onto their animated LEGO counterparts.

Structurally, Piece by Piece is a fairly typical, and in many cases rather safe, music biopic. It comes with many of the expected conventions of the genre, including the main subject’s humble beginnings and their slow consummation by their overly ambitious musical output, which naturally comes with one or two fallings out between the subject and their close friends who have been by their side from the beginning. Furthermore, it’s also the kind of music biopic that depicts their most iconic moments, including breakthrough chart-topping collaborations with the likes of Jay-Z and Daft Punk, as monumental events that are all that everyone in this heightened world seems to ever be talking about.  

You’ve definitely seen this kind of story told before in many other films, whether in scripted drama or in documentary format. Quite interestingly, though, neither Neville nor Williams appear to be hiding that familiarity. Both filmmaker and subject end up telling the latter’s story exactly how they see it, even if it means indulging in all the usual tropes, due to the simple fact that it is their truth, especially for Williams who himself has gone through all these beats, including the ones that we see time and time again in music biopics. The singer, who also produced Piece by Piece and contributed a number of original songs to its soundtrack, keeps his story laser-focused on being as honest as it can, even if it means showing him and his creative process in a less than favourable light some of the time. This helps the film avoid feeling like a self-indulgent piece of hero worship, as both Williams and Neville carefully analyse the musician’s rocky road to leaving as big an impact on pop culture as he has, without falling into the trap of overly lionising the central figure and their accomplishments.

Naturally, the animation helps bring this story to all sorts of unexpected life. As in previous LEGO movies, the visuals are simply stunning to watch, with fun little gags peppered throughout that might require at least another rewatch to pick up on some of the stuff in the background that you may have missed the first time. For example, during the section exploring Williams’ collaboration with Snoop Dogg, a LEGO crew member sprays “PG Smoke” to replicate the, erm, more recreational one that usually accompanies the hip-hop icon, in a throwaway sight gag that had most people in my screening laughing hard. Making his animation debut, documentarian Neville adapts well to the intricate world of LEGO graphics, applying his naturalistic style to a much more visually vibrant world that comes with its fair share of whimsy and delight, and manages to capture Williams’s bright attitude to his life and his music, as well as some of his underlying insecurities through some neatly designed sequences that truly capture the imagination.

At its plastic core, Piece by Piece is a film that takes a heartfelt approach to the life of Pharrell Williams that both honours and expands upon his legacy. Its appeal to younger audience members, some of whom may be on the verge of discovering their own musical abilities (as young LEGO Williams is depicted doing in a mesmerising sequence of him listening to Stevie Wonder), will no doubt make this an inspiring tale for them, as it adopts a vibrant and optimistic outlook that both promotes the age-old desire to follow one’s dreams, and warns against the pitfalls that can all too easily come with it.

The fact that it’s all done via this LEGO animation further cements its universal appeal, and once again is bound to leave Zaslav and Warner Bros as a whole kicking themselves in the shin for not recognising what they could have had before it was lost.

SO, TO SUM UP…

Piece by Piece is a sweet-natured if fairly safe documentary about the life and career of Pharrell Williams as told through some striking LEGO animation which, while not completely free of music biopic conventions, offers a bright and optimistic outlook that will no doubt be inspiring toward younger aspiring musicians.

It’s too early for cinema showtimes, but stay tuned!