NEW YORK (OSV News) — There’s much to like and even admire in the animated biography “Piece by Piece” (Focus). Most significantly, as a Lego version of singer, songwriter and music producer Pharrell Williams explores his past via an extended interview with director and co-writer Morgan Neville, the film highlights its subject’s Christian faith.
Yet, while the personal and professional ups and downs of Williams’ life make for a colorful, mildly diverting tale, this retrospective may prove a less-than-gripping narrative for all but his most devoted fans. Still, challenging elements are kept to a minimum, making the movie appropriate for a broad audience.
By his own account, hard work and trust in God were the main ingredients in Williams’ rise from the housing projects of Virginia Beach, Virginia, to international stardom. Those who played a role in his upward trajectory included Jay-Z, Justin Timberlake and Gwen Stefani – all of whom Neville also quizzes.
The tone is low-key and the pace languid as Williams pays tribute to the influence of his church-going grandmother and the pastor on whose advice he relied at a crucial moment. While often associated with upbeat tunes, Williams also reflects on how rapper Kendrick Lamar’s hit “Alright,” which he helped to compose, became an anthem of the Black Lives Matter movement.
Williams is an amiable, modest figure and the intent to keep this profile of him family-friendly is apparent. Thus when interviewees occasionally stray into scatological vocabulary, their vulgarities are suppressed, albeit with a childish visual representation of the substance to which they’re referring.
Given the deep-dyed obscenity that often characterizes contemporary rap lyrics, such restraint should make the parents of teen moviegoers – to borrow the title of what may be Williams’ most celebrated tune – “Happy.” Whether viewers of any age will be enthralled by this screen memoir, however, is another question.
The film contains a few implied, though unfinished, crude expressions and about a half-dozen mild oaths. The OSV News classification is A-II – adults and adolescents. The Motion Picture Association rating is PG – parental guidance suggested. Some material may not be suitable for children.