Piece by Piece Review

The Pharrell Williams biopic Piece by Piece offers an inventive tribute to the life and career of the renowned artist. Animated entirely in Lego, the film draws inspiration from Pharrell’s creative spirit, following his evolution from boy to superstar. While the visual style is playful and fresh, I find that the film struggles to deliver a cohesive narrative, resulting in a divided audience.

Piece by Piece follows Pharrell’s rise to fame, from his revolutionary work with the Neptunes to his progression into a solo career and the success that accompanied it. The film also features favourite celebrities such as Snoop Dogg, Kendrick Lamar, Gwen Stefani and JAY-Z and explores how Pharrell’s collaborations with them were monumental in his journey of establishing himself as an artist.

Although light hearted at first glance, Piece by Piece takes its time in reflecting on the hardships that affected Pharrell and his career. Seeing how Pharrell navigated growing up in a low-income home, grieving his beloved grandmother who encouraged him to pursue music, and facing racism - which has forever been prevalent in the industry - was incredibly eye-opening. Topics like these are important to acknowledge, especially in a biopic, and I appreciate how well it was articulated in this film marketed for a younger audience.

The use of colours in this film is outstanding. Pharrell has often discussed what it is like to live with synaesthesia - a neurological condition with which you can see colours when listening to music. So, it truly comes as no surprise for the film to include such beautiful scenes, tied together with a vibrant and impressive blend of hues. It is so visually pleasing and may well be my favourite aspect of the entire film.

Despite all of my praise, Piece by Piece does also come with some flaws. The bold choice of entirely Lego animation is both its strength and limitation. At some points, it can almost feel gimmicky in moments where deeper emotional engagement is needed. The film is also slightly hard to follow in certain cases when it jumps sporadically between time periods and interviews with countless different artists and friends of Pharrell's.

However, this does not mean I enjoyed the film significantly less. As someone who has always been a fan of Pharrell and his work, I appreciated all of the minor details such as Tyler, The Creator voicing a minor role, and the nostalgia of listening to all of Pharrell's older iconic records orchestrated in a different form of media. Overall, I would rate the film 3.5 starts out of 5 and I would recommend anyone who enjoys Pharrell's artistry to give it a watch.