“Piece by Piece” is one of the most creative ways a music biopic has been formatted to date. Directed by Morgan Neville, the film charts the life of American producer and musician Pharrell Williams.
The twist? The movie is animated entirely to look like it’s made out of Lego bricks, following the style of 2014’s “The Lego Movie” and its subsequent spin-offs. It’s the first movie released under Universal Studios to utilize this visual style and is distinctly unique for the biopic genre.
The film’s structure is much closer to that of a documentary, utilizing the real people involved in the story instead of opting to recreate moments and performances with other actors. While the film easily could’ve taken that route, their inclusion pairs very well with the surreality of the LEGO animation.
Those who lent their voice to the film include Pusha T, Jay-Z, Chad Hugo, Kendrick Lamar, Gwen Stefani, Justin Timberlake and Snoop Dogg; as well as Williams and Neville themselves.
Aside from the visuals, the firsthand accounts make the film stand out next to other biopics, which have been panned by many for being too safe or similar in their execution. These two elements combined make the viewing experience differ from films like 2018’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” or 2022’s “Elvis,” which follow a more traditional biopic formula and visual style.
The movie follows Williams from early childhood growing up in a housing project in Virginia Beach all the way to the release of his 2013 single “Happy” and slightly afterward. The film does a good job of showing you an in-depth look at William’s production discography, taking you through his work on songs like “Hella Good” by No Doubt, “Drop It Like It’s Hot” by Snoop Dogg and “Alright” by Kendrick Lamar.
The film is also notable for depicting themes and language that The Lego Group tends to shy away from, as their marketing is primarily for kids. Police brutality, drug use, protests, gang activity and moderate use of explicit words appear throughout the whole film.
While the direction does take risks in those departments, it falls short of telling you a more nuanced story at times by offering a cleaner and straightforward look at Williams’ life. The story is told primarily from his perspective, broken up only by interview segments that emphasize his points. While it’s not a surprising move, as Williams did help produce the film, it is one that makes you wish it had a more objective look into his life.
The film lacks the drama element that many other films in the genre have, only touching on periods of family trouble and writer’s block as its main source of conflict. The film even acknowledges how Williams had it easier compared to many of his contemporaries, choosing to humorously play it off.
But what the film lacks in perspective and narrative, it makes up for in creative storytelling and visual choices. The choice to use LEGO bricks for all of the environments is absolutely the film’s saving grace, adding a further element of surprise. Examples of this can be found when Williams listens to Stevie Wonder as a child, leading to a trippy LEGO montage, and when Williams goes to space before being abducted by Daft Punk.
Fans of Williams’ career will not only appreciate the music used throughout the film but also the LEGO recreations of iconic music videos and moments associated with Williams. Those who are less familiar with Williams are likely to leave theaters surprised at the variety of popular songs he contributed to and with a creatively told, although a bit shallow, summary of his expansive career.
