If like Lego and the music of Pharrell Williams, boy, do we have the movie for you.
How to watch Piece by Piece in Australia
Piece by Piece is screening exclusively in Australian cinemas from December 5, 2024.
Piece By Piece
What is Piece by Piece about?
Seems to be a year for unusual biopics of musical superstars. Not only are we getting Robbie Williams as a monkey in Better Man, this effort from director Morgan Neville, who usually specialises in documentaries like 20 Feet from Stardom and and Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, tells the story of musical prodigy Pharrell Williams in Lego form. Imagine if they’d done Straight Outta Compton that way…
It’s a neat conceit, reflecting both Williams’ life philosophy and his synesthesia (he sees colours in music). It’s still a documentary, with talking head interviews and recreations of actual events. Just, you know, with Minifigs. It’s also an official Lego movie—the sixth, in fact,
The cast of Piece by Piece
All star cast on this one, folks, all rendered in what Wikipedia helpfully tells me is now known as “brickfilm“.
In addition to Pharrell Williams and director Morgan Neville, we’ve got Gwen Stefani (Ninjago Harajuku Girls unconfirmed at time of writing) Kendrick Lamar, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, Busta Rhymes, Jay-Z, Snoop Dogg, Pusha T, Missy Elliott, Nigo, and Teddy Rile all playing themselves, while Tyler, the Creator voices Mr. Thoroughgood, Pharrell’s teacher.
Additionally, Chad Hugo, Shae Haley, N.O.R.E., Daft Punk, Jimmy Iovine, Tammy Lucas, Pharrell’s parents Pharoah and Carolyn Williams, and his wife, Helen Lasichanh, all show up.
Piece by Piece trailer
Why we’re excited about Piece by Piece
Well, it’s different, we’ll give it that, and at least the Lego business is a point of difference in the now-flooded field of biographical music documentaries. Williams is beyond a doubt one of the most successful performers and producers of recent years, but even if you’re not a particular fan, this seems like it’s worth a look.
