Piece by Piece

1/31/20251h 33m

Theatrical (limited) Release (US)

~ Turn up the volume on your imagination. ~

Overview:

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.

Director:

Morgan Neville

Status:

Released

Language:

English

Buget:

$16,000,000.00

Revenue:

$10,591,426.00

Key words:

musical
biography
coming of age
live action and animation
lego
music documentary
experimental documentary
animated documentary

Cast

Pharrell Williams

~ as ~

Pharrell Williams (voice)

Chad Hugo

~ as ~

Chad Hugo (voice)

Gwen Stefani

~ as ~

Gwen Stefani (voice)

Kendrick Lamar

~ as ~

Kendrick Lamar (voice)

Timbaland

~ as ~

Timbaland (voice)

Justin Timberlake

~ as ~

Justin Timberlake (voice)

Busta Rhymes

~ as ~

Busta Rhymes (voice)

Jay-Z

~ as ~

Jay-Z (voice)

Snoop Dogg

~ as ~

Snoop Dogg (voice)

Morgan Neville

~ as ~

Morgan Neville (voice)

View full cast & crew

Reviews (3)

CJ
Written 8 month(s) ago
9
I adored this movie

For background info, I love Pharrell. He is my favorite artist and he has been for a long time now. My parents listen to that type of music so I got it from them. I love his music. So I was going in expecting a fun time with great music and I would probably learn a thing or two. But damn, I got so much more. I love the way Pharrell thinks. The way he sees life. It might seem crazy what I'm about to say but this movie changed my perspective on things. On life. The music was amazing just as expected. A lot of Pharrell’s music is nostalgic to me. So hearing these songs just made me feel so nostalgic. The movie is funny too. Not the funniest thing ever but it is funny at times. Guys, don’t compare this to the other Lego movies that came before. They are wildly different types of films. So just because it’s a movie using Lego as their animation style, don’t compare them. I won’t lie with you and say I didn’t get teary eyed at parts of this movie. Cause I feel what he’s feeling. I know. Probably not in the same exact way but similar ways. Just an all around inspiring film. It’s inspired me to just start. It’s never too early to start on your dream. After Hurricane Milton making me and everyone in Florida stressed and not in a good mood, this is something I needed. It made me…_happy _

9.5/10
CinemaSerf
Written 7 month(s) ago
6
Pharrell Williams has decided to tell us a story of his life thus far using Lego as the creative conduit. The Lego bit is quite impressive and creative, the rest of it is really neither here nor there. Perhaps that's because he is just too young to present us with a compendium of his achievments. The boy from Virginia Beach lucking out when a big noise producer spots his band "The Neptunes" and gives them a chance, his persistence to get noticed, the undulation of his fame, his struggles with success and failure, friendships and family. His increasingly pivotal position in African American culture is all laid out like a yellow brick road, bumps and all, but none of it is particularity interesting. It isn't that different from the story that could be told by almost anyone trying to make it in the entertainment industry - actors, singers, musicians. There are the occasional graphics to tell us who is who, but the lego-fication of the animation sometimes makes it quite difficult to tell the characters apart and it does rely on quite a bit of knowledge of the man's career and of hip-hop to take much from it. It also doesn't really let us appreciate the music. Not that it needed to be a portmanteau of music videos, but the very thing that made and makes him relevant to so many hardly features at all. It's an imaginative production to look at, but the substance is lacking on just about every front.
good.film
Written 6 month(s) ago
~~
Our full review here: good.film/guide/piece-by-piece-is-2024s-most-surprising-and-inspiring-movie

Oscar-winner Morgan Neville's new music bio-documentary, PIECE BY PIECE is smart, uplifting and wondrous. The whole “LEGO thing” seems like a bizarre way to encapsulate of one of the millennium’s most unpredictable musical talents, but it makes sensational sense when you get to know Pharrell and figure out how his mind ticks.

Non-music fans might be tempted to wave Piece by Piece away, but with its focus on the energy we share and the space we occupy, it’s a surprisingly holistic experience for anyone. It’s not so much a film about music as it is about inspiration, and the explosive kaleidoscope of visual creativity on screen truly makes Piece by Piece stand out.

Our full review here: good.film/guide/piece-by-piece-is-2024s-most-surprising-and-inspiring-movie