Piece by Piece

by Mike McGranaghan

Pharrell Williams is one of the most unique people working in the music industry today, so it’s fitting that he’s got a unique biopic. Piece by Piece, the latest documentary from Won’t You Be My Neighbor? director Morgan Neville, has the elements you would expect: interview segments with Williams, friends and peers weighing in on his talent, a fairly thorough recounting of his rise to superstardom, etc. What sets it apart is that all those things are presented in the form of LEGO animation. If that sounds weird, rest assured that telling Williams’ story this way helps it come alive in a very special manner.

Central to the format is that idea that from a young age Williams could “see colors” when listening to music. The animation shows us what that might look like, and it’s a motif that repeats throughout. Important moments from the subject’s life and career are dramatized, from his days creating beats with N.E.R.D. bandmate Chad Hugo, to landing a gig at legendary producer Teddy Riley’s studio in Virginia Beach, to a string of collaborations with the likes of Justin Timberlake, Snoop Dogg, and Gwen Stefani, all of whom are represented in LEGO form. Recreations of the music videos for “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and “Hollaback Girl” are among the film’s highlights.

The key to the success of Piece by Piece is that the animation works on two levels. First, it allows us to see past events depicted rather than just staring at a talking head or watching old video footage. When the starstruck adolescent Williams sets foot inside Riley’s studio, for example, we watch that happening at the same time we hear him talking about it. This has the effect of making his story come alive. Second, it allows for humor. At times, the animation goes off on a wacky little tangent, a la The LEGO Movie and its sequel. Visual gags, puns, and comedic asides are amusingly woven in.

Of course, Williams has a compelling tale with huge ups and downs. The documentary goes into a dry streak he experienced after trying to give the record company what it wanted rather than sticking with the winning formula of always trying to create something that sounded brand new. He bounced back from that in part through a little song called “Happy” that was written for the soundtrack of the movie Despicable Me 2 but went on to become a sensation that spoke to people’s souls around the globe. Neville doesn’t shy away from including the dark times, which allows the good times to resonate strongly.

You don’t normally think of a documentary as something you could go see on a Friday or Saturday night when you want to have fun. That alone makes Piece by Piece special. Regardless of how much or how little you care about Pharrell Williams, the colorful animation is delightful to look at, and there are plenty of bits to make you laugh out loud. The music is pretty great, too. This is a true feel-good movie that will have you tapping your toes and smiling throughout.

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