As a gamer with a soft spot for LEGO games and a deep appreciation for music biopics, I found myself intrigued by the unique concept of “Piece by Piece”. The idea of Pharrell Williams’ life story told through LEGO animation is as innovative as it gets in the biopic genre.
As a gaming enthusiast, I can’t help but feel excited for the upcoming movie experience that’s unlike any other in the 2024 film calendar. Unlike the numerous musician biopics we’ve seen before like “Back to Black” and “One Love”, “Piece by Piece” promises something truly unique – a LEGO animated portrayal of Pharrell Williams’ life and career.
As a gamer, I’d put it like this: Alongside the record producer and Morgan Neville lending their voices to their Lego versions, the upcoming film Piece by Piece is set to feature some heavy-hitters in the music world. Big names such as Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar, Justin Timberlake, and Missy Elliott are joining in, along with artists who’ve been coaches on The Voice, like Snoop Dogg and Gwen Stefani. TopMob’s review of Piece by Piece gave it a 3 out of 5 stars, describing it as playful yet a bit too plastic-y. Sarah El-Mahmoud says:
The film “Piece By Piece” aims to accomplish two tasks simultaneously: create an engaging Lego-themed movie and provide a thought-provoking insight into the music industry as seen through Pharrell’s perspective. However, due to these elements often feeling disconnected from each other, neither quite reaches the lofty heights it aspires to. Regrettably, this results in the film leaning more towards using gimmicks than it might have intended, particularly when Pharrell tries to tie the story together by comparing life to a Lego set early on.
According to Mark Kennedy from AP, the upcoming family-oriented movie earns a rating of 3 out of 4 stars. He advises viewers not to dwell on the reasons behind the story but instead, simply immerse themselves in the tale about an artist’s extraordinary rise in both music and fashion industries. The film’s worlds are vividly depicted with colorful Lego bricks, showcasing Pharrell’s synesthesia experience, while the filmmakers’ innovative use of Lego as a representation for water and music stands out as their most impressive accomplishment. Kennedy further comments:
Piece by Piece” is a vibrant, witty biographical musical that appears as a behind-the-scenes documentary using Lego-like blocks, camera angles, and shapes to honor an eccentric artist famed for his unique soul. It’s thoughtful, dreamy, and at times endearingly cute. Is it highbrow or lowbrow? Much like the artist it portrays, it straddles both worlds.
William Bibbiani from The Wrap describes the biopic as a “refreshing change” in the overly populated genre. Unlike most rags-to-riches stories, which are frequently filled with drug issues and heated arguments, Piece by Piece is more of an uplifting storybook aimed at children. Bibbiani expresses this as:
Piece by Piece doesn’t deliver a heavy impact like a pile of bricks. Instead, it’s gentle, well-meaning, and filled with humorous visual jokes. What makes it unique is its purpose – to comfort and inspire the audience as a musical biography. Though Morgan Neville might have crafted another advertisement for giant LEGO sets, he’s done so with genuine kindness and heart.
According to Siddhant Adlakha from IGN, it seems unlikely that a LEGO music documentary would be successful. However, Morgan Neville’s innovative take on the genre and its topic makes this film deserving of an impressive 8 out of 10 rating.
A strange idea comes to dazzling fruition in Piece by Piece, Morgan Neville’s LEGO documentary about ‘Happy’ singer-songwriter and producer Pharrell Williams. While its flaws are rooted in what it avoids, its marriage of topic and form yields a blast of positivity in a way that perfectly suits its withholding subject, granting his interviews the kind of depth and creativity embodied by his music. While it avoids all thorny entanglements, it looks good and feels great, like any LEGO movie should.
According to Jesse Hassenger from The A.V. Club, despite some smart elements, this LEGO project might not fully tap into the creative potential it seems to believe it possesses. Further, Hassenger adds that the project’s execution doesn’t delve as deeply into creativity as it appears to intend.
In Piece By Piece, there’s an abundance of temporary visual diversions and some clever stylistic elements such as computer-generated Lego scenes that mimic the perspective of handheld cameras. Williams consistently comes across as a friendly, intelligent, and creative individual. However, despite the movie’s star-studded cast, their contributions are brief, and there seems to be equal emphasis on product placement (do those characters resemble Lego BrickHeadz?) as on creativity. One might expect a film about a compulsive music producer made from virtual Legos to exhibit a hint of madness, no matter how benign. Instead of pioneering a new direction for Lego animations, this could be the first to feel overly guided by its user manual.
It’s yet uncertain if “Piece by Piece” will be recognized among the year’s top biopics, but it currently boasts a positive 85% rating on Rotten Tomatoes’ tomatometer. If you’re intrigued by this LEGO spectacular, you can catch it in theaters from October 11 onwards.
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-10-10 23:07