Animation
Biopic
The Building Blocks of a Music Icon: A TIFF Review of ‘Piece by Piece’
September 21, 2024Ben MK
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Ever since the debut of The LEGO Movie, the LEGO cinematic universe has been on a veritable roll. Whether it's the double shot of brick-tastic goodness moviegoers received in 2017 with The LEGO Batman Movie and The LEGO Ninjago Movie, the fun-filled 2019 followup, The LEGO Movie 2: The Second Part, or the recent streaming release of LEGO Star Wars: Rebuild the Galaxy, there's been no shortage of content for fans of The LEGO Group's all-encompassing line of little plastic bricks to feast on. It's a testament to the company's ingenious design principles and unwavering popularity that no matter what the pop culture franchise, there's always a way to make it fit within the LEGO aesthetic. So with literally the entire world at its fingertips, where does the LEGO cinematic universe go next? Enter Piece by Piece, a biopic about Pharrell Williams that uses LEGO as the medium for telling the story of how a boy from Virginia Beach grew up to become one of the recording industry's most prolific and beloved artists. Beginning with Pharrell's early teenage years at Princess Anne High School, where he and his best friend, Chad Hugo, were discovered by legendary music producer Teddy Riley, the film chronicles Pharrell's rise to stardom and the various obstacles he had to overcome along the way. From his humble upbringing to how he helped produce tracks for such chart-topping artists as Madonna, Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears, director Morgan Neville takes viewers on a musical journey through Pharrell's past, stopping every so often to share anecdotes from those that know him best. Featuring interviews with the likes of Jay-Z, Gwen Stefani and Snoop Dogg, not to mention Pharrell's own parents, Carolyn and Pharoah, and his wife, Helen, it's a whimsical way to frame what has become a rote filmmaking genre. More than anything else, however, the movie is also inspirational, leaving viewers with the empowering message that anything is possible, so long as one puts their heart into it. It all adds up to one of the most unique biopics moviegoers are likely to ever see. Still, for all its admirable qualities, one can't help but wonder who the intended audience for Piece by Piece truly is. After all, those young enough to want to watch a LEGO animated film are unlikely to want to learn about music history from several decades past; and likewise, those old enough to want to delve into the life and times of Pharrell are unlikely to show up in droves for a LEGO movie. Either way, it's a curious creative choice. And yet, in spite of this, the result nonetheless works, once again proving the old adage that if you build it, they really will come. |
Piece by Piece screens under the Special Presentations programme at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. Its runtime is 1 hr. 33 min.
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