PIECE BY PIECE (2024)

SYNOPSIS: Piece by Piece is a unique cinematic experience that invites audiences on a vibrant journey through the life of cultural icon Pharrell Williams. Told through the lens of LEGO® animation, turn up the volume on your imagination and witness the evolution of one of music's most innovative minds.

MOVIE REVIEW:

Comparing this to The Lego Movie (2014) or The Lego Batman Movie (2017), Piece By Piece is a Lego theme movie that came and went and very much a commercial failure. In other words, no one bother to check this out. 

Piece By Piece is a biography of American songwriter-producer Pharrell Williams told in Lego form. Brought to life by filmmaker Morgan Neville (20 Feet From Stardom) who also stars in the movie as an interviewer, the colourful animation features lots of talking heads liked Timbaland and Missy Elliot as they recount their childhood with Williams.

Indeed, the meta-documentary features lots of Williams’ other famous friends including Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake, Gwen Stefani and Pusha T. Everyone has their few seconds of sound bites as they talks about making music with the talented man.

Interestingly, the movie has a far more uplifting message that is showcasing an aimless, young Williams who lived in the Atlantis housing project while struggling academically. His grandma was the one who encourages him to do what he loves and subsequently, Pharrell and his childhood friend, Chad Hugo ended up forming The Neptunes which caught the attention of famed record producer Teddy Riley. The rest they say is history.

The dreams come true or rags-to-riches plotting sure looks and sounds more attractive and cooler in dynamic-looking colourful animated bricks. And the Lego group truly did participate in the movie in creating new “moulds” and “bricks” for the animation.

Still, being a children-friendly title, we won’t get to know the dispute behind Williams and Hugo or why Williams became an overnight fashion designer for a luxury fashion house. But we did get to see the inspiration behind his hit song, “Happy”. There’s even a serious message about Black Lives Matter thrown in for good measure.

No offence to anyone out there, we are not exactly sure why Pharrell Williams deserved a Lego movie of his own. Is he that iconic and famous? While of course, the soundtrack is infectious, the Lego gimmick is amazing, the movie it seems is lost among the crowd. Adults obviously won’t be bother to check out a Lego-fied Williams and children prefers to sing along to “Happy” than finding out more about the man behind the tune.

Neither here or there is the main reason why Piece By Piece fails to make its budget back.

MOVIE RATING:

Review by Linus Tee