Directed by Morgan Neville, Piece by Piece is a stunning exploration into the life of musical icon, Pharrell Williams—and is presented entirely in LEGO form. Beginning with his upbringing in Virgina, Piece follows the young man through his first job at a record label and the origins of his producing partnership with Chad Hugo in the Neptunes. Facing constant roadblocks to his own shot at becoming a singer, Williams shifts his focus to producing, helping him create masterpieces with some of music’s top artists. In doing so, his creative spark sets fire to the music industry but his fame still takes a toll on his soul.
By utilizing LEGO as the foundation of his film, Neville has built something truly special. Rather than feel like a gimmick, Neville and Williams’ unique take on history brings it to life in glorious colour and joy. Somehow, the use of LEGO adds such life to the film that it elevates it above the standard biographical documentary. Through its unique style, everything about the film becomes almost whimsical, fueled by a fascinating balance of fantasy and reality.
Make no mistake. Despite its light-hearted atmosphere, Neville never loses sight of his goal. In Pharrell, he has a lot of material from which to mine. Beginning with his childhood and rise through the music industry, Neville paints a picture of a young man of ambition and imagination.
It’s that spirit of hopefulness that serves as the base plate for Neville’s construction. In this film, we watch as Williams finds the pinnacle of success, only to realize that he’s missing a Piece in the process. Although the structure may look silly from the outside, there’s something profound underneath the bricks. This isn’t merely the story of a musical superman but rather a man who’s looking for answers. Like so many of us, Williams’ journey is (literally) coming together piece by piece.
Piece by Piece is playing at TIFF ’24. For more information, click here.
