Musical documentaries (and some resounding biopics) have varied in truly representing their subjects. From Disney+’s The Beach Boys to the divisive Amy Winehouse flick Back to Black, it’s been very wild. Yet, they’ve always followed the same format without doing anything different. So, when they originally announced Piece By Piece, I admit it piqued my interest in a peculiar way. No one had ever tried making a musical documentary with LEGO before so, obviously, it was a really big risk. Surprisingly, Pharrell Williams proudly achieved the impossible with Piece By Piece. This extravagantly inventive bio-doc carries an appealing message about staying true to yourself in the midst of creative ambition.
Piece By Piece centers itself around Pharrell Williams’s life, from his humble start in Virginia Beach to his rise to fame with the Neptunes and beyond. Throughout, Williams’s conversation with director Morgan Neville leads him to conclude that the best way he can tell his story is through LEGO. In fact, he states its the best way to be himself without all the weirdness. Of course, there’s some initial hesitancy by Neville, whether it’s due to the gravity of Williams’s history or otherwise. However, given Williams’s condition of synthesia (where he’s able to see music as shapes and colors by experiencing multiple senses simultaneously), this really works to a dime.
While Piece By Piece is created through Lego pieces (done digitally), it still feels like an actual documentary. Sure, the film plays around with the camera to emphasize that imaginative tone like The Lego Movie does. Yet, it naturally integrates a hand-held perspective, like when Williams introduces the camera crew into his mansion. Funnily enough, it happily plays a role in some of the LEGO-based shenanigans, switching up cinematographic styles when need be. This primarily happens in the first two acts, where Williams’s growing musical aspirations blend with his childlike wonder.
Piece By Piece begins in the Virginia Beach projects, where Williams grew up and met his eventual friends to form the Neptunes. Here, the film gives a gracious insight as to how he developed his love for music through its visual pops. From the moment Williams’s grandmother gave him his first snare drum to when producer Teddy Riley discovered him, each step in Williams’s journey bursts with life. This is accentuated by the colorful neon pieces and patterns strewn, representing both his synthesia and a deeper emotional connection. It’s a huge eye-catching visual trip that’ll pull you in if you weren’t already!
Those moments are further rooted by some interesting recollections, both by Williams’s family and friends. In Williams’ high school, Timbaland and Missy Elliott’s interviews round in more hilarious Lego gags while providing a more clearer picture. When guest stars like Gwen Stefani, Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z make their appearances, the LEGO-ness of Williams’s story shows. The playfulness of the LEGO elements can show, like with what it does with Snoop Dogg’s “smoke”. Though, it honestly adds to its overall optimistic charm.
These music styles, from hip-hop to pop, present their own visual changes that try to keep things PG-13 as possible. There’s so much that these sequences show that might try to redirect you to all the moving elements. The film keeps a clear focus nonetheless, highlighting the best points of the star’s life through fun montages and more.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a Pharrell Williams bio-doc without his iconic songs. They’re sewn in throughout the film with some, like 2013’s “Happy” and “Get Lucky” actually playing important roles. If you were thinking that they might over-do it with William’s discography, then you might be wrong. In fact, Piece By Piece does good on balancing Michael Andrews’s backing soundtrack with the Williams-made and produced songs. Combining it with the whimsical LEGO animation style results in some unique takes (“Hollaback Girl’s” a clear influence here though!)
However, like all musical biopics (or bio-docs), Piece By Piece doesn’t necessarily get into the griminess of it all. It still showcases the obstacles that Williams faced, from greedy businessmen to other aspects that are out of control. There are clear indications that Neville and Williams want to get deeper, yet the film can only do so superficially. Williams’s recollection of these experiences does help explain in some capacity, but unfortunately that’s as much as you can get. Using LEGO makes the film very entertaining, but not as emotionally impactful as it should be.
This is especially felt in the last third of the film, where Piece By Piece tries to handle some tough material. From the death of Williams’s grandmother to the Black Lives Matter movement, it can certainly be an tonal whiplash. Though these events slightly integrate into Williams’s story, they can only convey the resonating message on some levels. It can feel a bit awkward given the pacing of how the documentary was going. I just wish the film did more with these aspects, but then again, it prioritizes its uplifting tone.
However, the uplifting tone really works through its animation. The little LEGO beats popping up here and there and the fun The Lego Movie-inspired jokes, like the mall joke with E.T., keep things lighthearted. The film brings everything to life with so much energy, from the aesthetics of Williams’s hometown to his personal interpretations of perseverance. Rounded out by the representation of a giant fish as his inner and true self, Piece By Piece, does a great job in creatively honoring Williams and his career.
Overall, Piece By Piece is an artistic feat that not only celebrates Pharrell Williams’s extensive career, but also presents the potential to explore deep subjects through this format and medium. Even though it doesn’t take in the full picture, Neville and Williams’s collaboration proves that storytelling through the LEGO world can do more. It has this universal appeal, much like Williams’s most famous songs, with a down-to-earth style that truly delivers some good fun for everyone. While there’s room to do more, it’s a satisfying documentary that will definitely keep you hooked.
Piece By Piece releases in theaters on October 11.
