By Keith Walther | Rose Law Group Reporter
Pharrell Williams is one of the more creative minds in the music industry, so naturally his story would be told in an unorthodox way. “Piece by Piece” is a LEGO style animated film that features the voices of the many musicians who have worked with Pharrell throughout their careers. This interesting documentary approach is captivating, while also being funny and touching, and of course the music is fantastic.
Director Morgan Neville plays the role of documentarian, interviewing Pharrell Williams, in addition to the many stars of R&B, rap, and pop music with whom he’s collaborated like Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Justin Timberlake, Gwen Stefani, Kendrick Lamar, and many others. Through LEGO animation, Morgan and Pharrell guide viewers through his childhood years in Virginia Beach. From a young age, Pharrell knew he was different and knew he had a special connection with music that allowed him to see music in colors.
As he explored his creative brilliance, he found a kindred spirit in Chad Hugo. Together, they formed a production duo called The Neptunes, launching a career that would last in mainstream music for decades. As Pharrell’s fame grew, so too did his ego, leading to a massive fall from grace and forcing him into self-reflection to rediscover himself and his love for music.
Morgan Neville is an Oscar winning filmmaker who won the award in 2014 for “20 Feet from Stardom” in the category of Best Documentary, Feature. He’s a specialist when it comes to making riveting documentaries, but using LEGO animation to tell this musician’s story was incredibly innovative and risky. It works extremely well in this case to better understand and delve into Pharrell’s imagination that enabled him to become the success that he is. The content and story progression are reminiscent of a typical episode of VH1’s “Behind the Music” with interviews of his most famous collaborations, but it becomes so much more with the animation that makes it imaginative, engrossing, and fun.
While Neville impresses the audience with the incredible amount of popular songs Pharrell is responsible for, it is a pretty biased account of this musician’s life that adorns his genius in rose-colored glasses. Interestingly, there is a concerted effort to avoid digging into his well-known association with P. Diddy, who is currently in jail awaiting trial for his horrifying crimes. It is understandable to omit these details for Pharrell to distance himself from Diddy’s alleged actions, but it does make this biographical documentary incomplete. However, the positive messaging of perseverance in achieving one’s dreams coupled with vibrant LEGO animation exposes this documentary style film to people of all ages.
Whether you are a kid or an adult, whether you enjoy Pharrell’s music or don’t, “Piece by Piece” is an entertaining animation that will draw you in with its imagination and positivity. It may be a more biased documentary showing Pharrell in the most positive light possible, but it is sweet, touching, and uplifting that will leave you filled with good vibes. A celebration of music and reaching for the stars can never be a bad thing.
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