Piece by Piece
Piece by Piece
Starring Pharrell Williams, Morgan Neville, Gwen Stefani, Snoop Dogg
Directed by Morgan Neville
Chronicling his life from childhood to superstardom, Pharrell Williams shares his experiences from growing up in the ghetto of Virginia, finding faith in church, family, and friends, and exploring his many hobbies, especially music. He forms the group The Neptunes and produces hits for music's biggest artists before branching out on his own to craft his own legacy on the stage as well as behind it.
"Piece by Piece" is a visually fun film that detracts from the bare-bones story it tells, keeping us enthralled in the Lego movements against the generic story it tells. As with all other biopics the movie glosses over numerous aspects of Pharrell's life, leaving CliffsNotes version of his story without any depth or development. We see him as a child and the wonder he experiences through music and escaping into his own reality, hanging out with his few friends, and spending time with his loving family. It's wholesome and sweet, and really inspiring when you think about it, but ultimately it falls flat due to how quick we spend in those moments.
The movie then continues to progress through his profession, from being discovered and forming his producing team, producing hits for other artists, and eventually coming into his own, all while dealing with his personal struggle of not fitting in, and throwing his hat into multiple different philanthropies while spreading himself out too thin. Thankfully, unlike other musical biopics, there's no mention of drugs, alcohol or the other pitfalls many musicians face, giving Pharrell an even more wholesome feeling than he already exudes in real life. The man is a legend, a visionary, and someone who channeled his passion to making some of the most prolific songs of this generation.
That still doesn't detract from the mundane story it tells, and how it glosses over almost every aspect of his story. Though it's visually fun, the story itself isn't. The concept of showing his life through Legos also confuses the target audience. It's too adult for children (especially when they show Lego versions of his song with Daft Punk "Get Lucky," or scantily clad Lego females dancing around) and it's too childish for adults - so there's no specific target audience it seems. So while they take a risk and do something different, ultimately it remains the same ole biopic you're bored of seeing.
The Score: C+
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