REVIEW: Piece by Piece – A simple yet refreshingly inventive and heartfelt documentary

I will repeat this more and more as time goes on, but going into a film entirely blind is always more rewarding than going in knowing everything; something I am never able to do as the desire to watch trailers is too great for me. For Piece by Piece, I was somewhat familiar with the premise, the fact it has received surprisingly good acclaim and it seemed to offer and do something different to other music documentaries. The idea here is straightforward; to tell the story of Pharrell Williams through Lego.

The film includes the usual musician interviews and celebrity cameos, but it takes a refreshingly unconventional approach by narrating Williams’ journey through Lego scenes. This method should feel gimmicky, yet it somehow works remarkably well. I initially had no idea how they’d pull it off, and even as I watched, I was still marveling at the concept. Adding to the surreal experience, I saw a trailer afterward for A Better Man, the upcoming Robbie Williams biopic where he’s played by a CGI monkey. If Piece by Piece felt unusual, this looks to take it to the next level. Oddly enough, I’m excited to see how they pull that off too.

Photo credit: Universal Pictures UK

As I have alluded to, Piece by Piece is no different to any other musical story and is actually rather simple in its story yet its construction (pun intended) is where it shines. The film is shot documentary style in a Lego world and does fully commit to the immersion and realistic nature of one. What I mean by this is that it starts with a handheld, short tracking shot as we follow Williams as he sits down to tell his story and continues to use similar fashions throughout. Its effort and dedication is very well done.

I did not expect the film to achieve what it does and it is of course very much to its credit that it is able to. Given how most (if not all) musical stories involve intricate levels of emotional backstory surrounding the artist, this is no different with some areas really tugging at the heart strings. Even though most of them do that anyway, that does not stop them or this from having impact.

Although I knew little about Pharrell Williams himself, I’m of the generation that grew up with the music he helped create. I quickly realized just how many tracks I love have his influence woven into them, often in ways I hadn’t realized. Seeing names like Timbaland, Jay-Z, and Justin Timberlake pop up was a treat. Every time a familiar song played, it felt like a fresh revelation (even if it was something I probably should have known already). Needless to say, the soundtrack is fantastic—I even caught myself tapping my heel more than once.

It is not without flaws though. As the film was starting out, I did have to keep constantly telling myself that this was a documentary as the format was throwing me off slightly. I kept thinking I was watching a fictional Lego story where in fact everything was true and accurate. This is not to say everyone will have this issue yet I’d be lying to say that it was not often distracting. Given that this is told through Lego and therefore allows the film to go more fantastical, it does dive into that kind of imagery as well as bizarre set-pieces that may be a hit or miss with people. I thought it just about worked in the moment yet briefly threatened to become too silly.

Some choices they go with did cause me to become ever so slightly disconnected with the story which was disappointing given how emotionally engaged I already was. In the end though, it still works as it features elements more than one demographic or audience will like, no matter your interests. I would not necessarily say you need to know everything about him – as I did not- yet the music is so well known and universal that it does not matter. With the same vibrant animation style and visual appeal of The Lego Movie mixed with a well told music documentary, Piece by Piece has something in it for everyone.

8/10

In cinemas Friday (8th November 2024).