A Piece of Inspiration: A review of the new “Lego Movie”

There are truly no words to properly articulate how much I enjoyed Piece by Piece,  released on October 11th, 2024. Critically acclaimed director Morgan Neville tells the biographical story of Artist Pharrell Williams, using stop-motion and computerized-animated Legos. When I first heard of this production, I thought, like many others, that this was an interesting, almost bizarre concept. I questioned: Why did the producers decide that Lego was the best medium to illustrate a biography? What was the relevance of such an outlandish presentation? Is this just another Hollywood cash grab, as many people speculated? What was so special about Pharrell Williams being the subject of a documentary?

While Pharrell has become a household name over the years, this documentary presented him, as well as the music industry, in a whole new light. From his childhood in the projects, he tells his story of being a misfit and a kid who struggled in school, both with fitting in and in his learnings. I do not want to give to many spoilers, but it was beautiful to see how his support systems, and music, had driven him to make something of himself. We watch as he struggles at first, but inevitably climbs the ladder of enormous success, working with prominent artists such as Jay-Z, Gwen Stefani, Brittany Spears, Kendrick Lamar, and so many more. What makes this story even more powerful, however, is Pharrell didn’t shy away from showing his humanity, and what inevitably led to the downfall of the first era of his career. He describes that his first singles led to a spiral of losing himself within the industry, driven by his hunger for relevance and fame. While there was more to what Williams was going through ( you will just have to watch the movie to find out the details ), it is his comeback to finding his soul for music and a new outlook on life that made the movie so meaningful. It genuinely made me shed a tear, alone in that dark theatre, surrounded by a couple of families and random stragglers; it was beautiful. How could I not? Besides the content of the documentary, the use of Lego only adds to the film's composition. Firstly, the colourful blocks effortlessly capture the world through Pharrell’s mind as he reveals to the world his synesthesia. It is an extraordinary phenomenon when one stimulates one of their senses, it simultaneously triggers a different sense or cognitive function. In this case, it is hearing sounds that trigger his mind to see colours. Furthermore, Pharrell connects the meaning of his message to the function of Legos because he equates life to a box of Legos. You could follow the instructions and build a life that conforms to society, or, instead, you could follow Pharrell’s lead and give yourself the freedom to dream outside the box and have the courage to build whatever the hell you want. The hardships he has faced have built him into the man he is today as he reached a new height of his success. Many can relate to Pharrell Williams’ struggles, and his story may just help you get re-inspired, as it did for me.