It’s decided. From here on, every film in should be in LEGO.
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.
Admittedly, Neville’s film feels like it shouldn’t work. After all, the idea that a ‘serious’ film making use of LEGO as a storytelling device seems like it would undercut the material. But, in Piece by Piece, that is absolutely not the case. 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. Scenes where Williams explains his creative process absolutely pop, highlighting the significance of the moment. Conversations with musical icons somehow feel more energetic and playful. (Watch for Snoop’s ‘PG Spray’.) Through its unique style, everything about the film becomes almost whimsical, fueled by a fascinating balance of fantasy and reality.
In essence, Piece by Piece becomes more than a musical biopic. It’s a magical experience.
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. In some ways, the artist himself has remained a bit of an enigma. Known far better as a producer than as a frontman, his legacy runs much deeper than I had imagined.
In Piece, Williams is shown to be the hardest working man in show business. Through his conversations with giants of the industry like Snoop Dog, Gwen Stefani, Jay-Z and countless others, Neville shows the unbelievable legacy that Williams has built amongst his musical peers. He’s always on the move, adapting to his environment and exploring every possible avenue of creativity. (Even the fact that he’d developed the McDonald’s ‘I’m Lovin’ It’ jingle was a surprise.)
Furthermore, Piece by Piece isn’t all about playtime either. Neville takes time to emphasize Williams’ passion to help inspire the Black community during the Black Lives Matter era. Moving from the bright palette into shades of black and white, Piece leans into Williams’ passion to support the oppressed through his music.
Even so, Piece also shows Williams as a man who’s not fully at peace. Pouring himself into his work, Williams he becomes so driven that it began to take a part of his soul in the process. To his credit, Williams speaks openly about his struggle to keep his personal life together once he’s achieved success. Influenced by executives, his spark begins to fade, not only professionally but personally as he begins to look for the next ‘hit’.
Once a man of authenticity, Williams runs the risk of giving in to the ‘machine’.
In this sense, Neville paints the portrait of a man who recognizes the power of life’s journey. Through his own self-reflection, Williams appears grateful for his successes but remorseful for his flaws. Even amidst its playfulness, Neville never deifies nor demonizes Williams. Instead, we’re offered a portrait of a man who’s human and has been broken down and reassembled more than once.
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 available in theatres on Friday, October 11th, 2024.
