Rating: PG | Runtime: 93 minutes
Release Date: October 11th, 2024 (USA)
Studio: Focus Features
Director(s): Morgan Neville
Writer(s): Morgan Neville, Jason Zeldes, Aaron Wickenden & Oscar Vazquez

You’ll know it’s right when you can find a purpose for humanity in it.

Augmented rotoscoping via computer animated LEGO bricks really does add a nice layer to this by making the “archival” footage fun, bringing imaginative fantasy to life, and creating laughs from the running joke that Pharrell wants this to be a LEGO movie without anyone yet seriously considering it will.

Yes, it’s a documentary about Pharrell that’s produced by Pharrell and built upon a life-spanning interview with Pharrell that director Morgan Neville clearly agreed to conduct at the subject’s speed and to his purpose, but the sheer number of friends, family, and collaborators involved shows he really is just a great, talented, and inspirational dude. He doesn’t shy from admitting the noise and ego almost took him down either. Is that enough to turn a retrospective into theatrical film? I guess.

My biggest issue: the Kenna erasure. Pharrell, Chad, Shay, Pusha T, Missy Elliott, and Timbaland all get a mention for going to school together, but where’s their classmate Kenna? New Sacred Cow is a perfect record.

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Pharrell Williams stars in director Morgan Neville’s PIECE BY PIECE, a Focus Features release. Credit: Courtesy of Focus Features / © 2024 FOCUS FEATURES LLC.