Pharrell Williams is deserving of a film that highlights his musical accomplishments. He’s won 13 Grammy Awards, received an Academy Award nomination (“Happy,” from *Despicable Me 2*), and his productions have sold around 100 million copies worldwide. Surely, if Sean “Diddy" Combs could produce a film about himself (“Can't Stop, Won't Stop: A Bad Boy Story”), Williams is entitled to the same. Right?

Once upon a time, a precocious young kid from the projects of Virginia Beach dreamed big and out of the box. “I knew I was different. People would say, ‘Oh, that’s an odd child.’ But I loved music. Music would come out of me,” Williams recalls. He teamed up with his pal Chad Hugo, whom he’d known since seventh grade, and they formed the production duo The Neptunes. The rest is modern music history.

The idea of interviewing fellow musicians and important people in Williams’ life is standard. What’s not so standard is having Oscar-winning documentarian Morgan Neville (“20 Feet From Stardom”) add those voices to LEGO figures. That unusual juxtaposition doesn’t get old for 93 fascinating minutes.

It's odd and charming to see cartoon versions of Williams, Kendrick Lamar, Gwen Stefani, Jay-Z, Pusha T, Timbaland, Justin Timberlake, and Busta Rhymes. The coolest one has to be Snoop Dogg. Hearing his smooth-talking voice with that urban cadence and those rhyming words, but not seeing the real Snoop, emphasizes his charm-and-disarm speaking skills. It proves that animating this doc is a very effective gimmick.

Neville also uses archival footage and new scenes with Williams in his old neighborhood, all transferred into a LEGO motif. The colors, figures, and cartoony movement are eye-catching. The more you watch, the more playful the footage becomes. It almost makes up for the lack of depth and soul-searching that fuels strong non-fiction films.

This is not an expository documentary that has a central thesis and builds to its theory, nor is it an observational, fly-on-the-wall documentary. It’s closer to a performative doc that embraces the filmmakers’ point of view and emotions in a very subjective way. If you’re expecting objectivity, find another film. If you’re looking for Williams to reveal some of the tougher parts of his career, it isn’t that kind of party.

In 2015, Williams was entangled in a lawsuit over his writing and production work on Robin Thicke’s chart-topping 2013 hit “Blurred Lines.” He’s also involved in a recent lawsuit with partner Chad Hugo over naming rights to "The Neptunes." Unfortunately, Neville doesn’t press the producer extraordinaire with the tough questions. This is a missed opportunity, as both of these career challenges could serve as enlightening and cautionary tales for anyone considering a career in the music industry, particularly as a producer. While it's easy to proclaim from the rooftops, “I firmly believe that everyone has talent, beauty, and potential,” it’s equally important to warn, “Don’t fall into this trap. Here’s what I learned. Be careful.”

Some of the camaraderie is heartwarming. Pusha T had lost his record deal when Williams approached him with a new beat that reignited his career. “Hot in Herre” brought Nelly good fortune, as did “I Just Wanna Love U (Give It 2 Me)” for Jay-Z, “Hollaback Girl” for Gwen Stefani, and “Drop It Like It’s Hot” for Snoop Dogg. Looking for depressing songs? Stop looking—Williams doesn’t write them. Looking for complex music? You won’t find that either. Catchy, simple brain-worm pop/soul/hip-hop confections are his thing. And those are the tunes audiences will hum when they leave the theater or turn off the TV.

Neville was aided by writers/editors Oscar Vazquez and Aaron Wickenden, along with editor Jason Zeldes. Howard Baker, the film’s animation director, and the animation studios Tongal, Pure Imagination, and Zebu contributed their part. On view is a unique blend of animation and music documentary sensibilities that almost creates a new genre.

This film may not be the insightful, revealing documentary some theater audiences seek. Instead, it’s a light, cartoony confection aimed at those who love music, enjoy feeling happy, and can relate to a nerdy kid who made good.  

DwightBrownInk.com