Piece by Piece First Reviews – “Sweet and Inspiring”, “New”, and "Full of Love"

The Academy Award-winning director behind Twenty Feet From Stardom and the beloved Mister Rogers documentary Won't You Be My Neighbor? , Morgan Neville, has a new film taking us on the journey through the life and times of Pharrell Williams, but there's a twist... it's told entirely through LEGO.

Titled Piece by Piece , this unique documentary/biopic premiered at the Telluride Film Festival last month but is now getting a wider audience at the Toronto International Film Festival, where the first reviews for the film are rolling in.

Reflective of the creativity of its subject, Piece by Piece has got people talking, with Jon D. Birnham of Next Best Picture saying, "Neville creates a wonderfully magical world that feels both real and impossible, subtly messaging that we can all fit into the construction of something greater with enough perseverance."

Deadline's Pete Hammond says, "Surprisingly, it brings a freshness and originality to a docu format that makes it feel all new again." But Robert Daniels at RogerEbert.com isn't so sure, saying, "Rather the overstretched and underthought Piece by Piece is always struggling to check the boxes of its genre requirements."

Radheyan Simonpillai, at The Guardian, comments on the unique choice of LEGO and how it adds to the story, saying, "The animated pizazz only works because Pharrell and the titans recruited as talking heads (we hear from Missy Elliott, Gwen Stefani, Jay-Z and Pusha T, for starters) are natural orators with terrific origin stories to tell."

Piece by Piece is currently at 91% on review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes from 11 reviews, suggesting it'll likely be a hit when it hits theaters on October 11.

The documentary also has one more stop on its festival tour on October 20 at the BFI London Film Festival ahead of the film's release in UK theaters on November 8.

Piece by Piece Review Roundup

indieWire: Piece by Piece is ultimately surface-level entertainment, a light, visually-inventive ride without much to offer its audiences beyond a reaffirmation on the values of hard work and believing in one’s self.

The Hollywood Reporter: Piece By Piece reveals, in sweet and inspiring terms, how the producer turned rapper turned singer turned fashion icon has never been one to be boxed in. While inventive, Neville’s doc can’t quite avoid the trappings of the celebrity-produced biopic.

Awards Watch: It's made with love and good intentions, and you can tell that there are places where Pharrell is truly opening up about his feelings. But for a documentary that hits all the standard music biopic notes, this one feels very safe.

Discussing Film: Though certainly a strange addition to the LEGO Animation universe, it somehow makes perfect sense. If you’re intrigued by the premise of a documentary told through LEGO or a fan of Pharrell Williams, Piece by Piece is definitely worth the time.

Awards Daily: Piece by Piece is so full of love – a thunderstorm of electrifying colors brimming with infectious energy. It delivers uplifting messages: trust in yourself, work diligently, spread joy, and venture into new horizons.

Related: New Pharrell Williams Biopic Will Be Told With LEGO