Piece by Piece (2024)

Piece by Piece is a documentary where the subject picked the format, and it shows: Pharrell Williams comes out looking flawless, and Chad Hugo barely gets a brick of his own. That’s the catch. The rest is a genuine delight. Morgan Neville tells the whole story in LEGO, from a Virginia Beach kid whose brain turns sounds into colors, to forming The Neptunes, to the hits that put Jay-Z, Gwen Stefani and Justin Timberlake on the phone. The Snoop Dogg session that turns into Drop It Like It’s Hot is a highlight, and so is the story of how Happy got written, complete with a minifigure version of his teary Oprah Winfrey interview. It sounds like a gimmick and works shockingly well. The Neptunes’ split gets glossed over, though, and the last stretch feels rushed. Opening crowds graded it an A. A 7.3 because the format is inspired and the portrait is a little too polished. $70.19 says you put on your favorite song tonight and try to decide what color it is.

What works: The LEGO format turns Pharrell’s synesthesia into dazzling visuals, and the stories behind Drop It Like It’s Hot and Happy are a joy.

What doesn’t: It’s a flattering portrait that sidelines Chad Hugo, skims past the Neptunes’ breakup and rushes through its closing stretch.

Who it’s for: Music nerds, LEGO families and anyone who has hummed a Neptunes beat without knowing who made it.