Piece by Piece Elevates Celebrity Documentary with LEGO

Originally, it also seemed Piece by piece was another musical biopic. Although this genre has been around for decades, it has had a particular moment in cinema in recent years. Start with the huge success of Bohemian Rhapsody In 2018, seemingly every musical phenomenon under the sun got the glossy biopic treatment, from Elton John to Bob Marley. Still, Pharrell Williams, who is just 51, was an unconventional choice for the next musician to headline one of these films.

While many of the artists anchoring these biopics enjoyed their heyday in the previous century, Pharrell is actively involved in the music industry today, with his recent ditty “Double Life” by Despicable Me 4 climbing your Spotify charts. But when you examine Williams’ discography more closely, you’ll discover a plethora of mega-hits that you might not have even realized Pharrell was present in, appearing on tracks like Snoop Dogg’s “Drop It Like It’s Hot” and “Hollaback Girl” by Gwen Stefani.

Pharrell Williams was more than a worthy choice to be the subject of a musical biopic, but Piece by piece That’s not it either. The Last LEGO Movie is effectively a documentary for all intents and purposes, made entirely out of LEGO bricks. It contains all the characteristics that a good documentary is known for. An in-depth, inside look at a compelling subject, exclusive interviews with key industry players, and an expertly edited narrative. But just like the music biopics mentioned above, music documentaries are nothing new, and the genre has become a little stale in recent years, with a wave of options that are mainly produced by the artists themselves on streaming.

Popular music documents have also followed a familiar formula in recent times. They are usually stitched together from a combination of concert clips, behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the artists and their collaborators. Stars are also specifically followed with the intention of making a feature film, as seen in the 2020 Netflix film Miss Americanwhich featured pop superstar Taylor Swift. Sometimes these films try to capture the tragedy of a virtuoso lost too soon, like Amy Winehouse in the film Amen (2015), or Michael Jackson in And that (2009).

Another form of music documentary that has received critical acclaim in recent years is old archival footage remastered for modern audiences. This can be seen in 2024 The beach boys about the band of the same name. Finally, concerts in their entirety have increasingly been turned into films. Once again, Taylor Swift’s reign over the industry is on full display, with the extreme success of Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour last fall. Renaissance: a Beyoncé film (2023), and Justin Bieber: Never say never (2011) top other great concert films.

Many music documentaries combine several of these factors, and if you’ve watched one, it feels like you’ve seen them all. Piece by piece is no exception to this rule. The film tells the story of Pharrell’s life and career. It contains interviews with his family, friends and industry colleagues. There are also extended scenes of live shows performed by Williams.