Piece By Piece's George Floyd Reference Explained

The following contains mention of police brutality.

The following contains spoilers for Piece by Piece, now playing in theatersPiece by Piece's includes a clear reference to the death of George Floyd and the societal fallout of that event. For the most part, Piece by Piece is a sweet-natured and rhythmic exploration of Pharrell's career as a musician and music producer. Coupled with the decision to animate the story entirely in LEGO blocks, it's a largely sweet and inspirational story. This transforms Piece by Piece's cast into new animated forms, allowing for a more versatile film that can easily embrace flights of fancy or big visuals to represent deeply personal moments. Even at its most serious, it remains fun.

That largely light-hearted approach becomes more serious close to Piece by Piece's ending. During the third act of the movie, Pharrell reflects on the state of the United States, with the film shifting away from the musician and more to the world at large as protests erupt in the aftermath of fatal incidents of police brutality. This includes the murder of George Floyd, which is directly referenced but not overtly named. Here is how the protests that followed Floyd's death impact the story of Piece by Piece, and how the resulting sequence expands upon the central themes of the film.

Pharrell Williams Shares His Thoughts On The George Floyd Murder In Piece By Piece

Piece By Piece Reflects On Pharrell's Views On The World At Large

Late in Piece by Piece, the animated documentary reveals Pharrell's response to the protests following incidents of police brutality like the one that killed George Floyd. Most of the plot of Piece by Piece occurs before the events of 2020. However, Floyd's death is shown to have had a clear impact on Pharrell. Although his ethnicity as a black man had come up, it was usually regarding how Pharrell subverted typical expectations by being a skateboarder with an eye for fashion. However, the death of George Floyd and the subsequent protests against police brutality color Pharrell's perspective on the world.

Related Piece By Piece Soundtrack Guide: Every Song & When They Play Here's the complete soundtrack to Piece by Piece and where ever song fits into the LEGO-style documentary about Pharrell Williams' music career.

This section of the movie forces Pharrell (as well as the audience ) to acknowledge the harsh realities of modern society. It's a powerful scene, coming during a period of general reflection that the artist is experiencing in his career. The sequence highlights the responsibility that Pharrell ends up feeling as a high-profile artist of color, with his collaboration alongside Kendrick Lamar on the song "Alright" scoring the sequence. Pharrell and Lamar discuss the meaning and power of the song as an anthem of protest that became increasingly latched onto by activists like those tied to the Black Lives Matter movement.

Piece By Piece Shows The George Floyd Protests In LEGO Form

The George Floyd Protests Are Shot In Black And White But Still In LEGO

The death of George Floyd sent ripples through the United States and the world at large in 2020. Floyd was an African American man who was murdered by Derek Chauvin, a white police officer in Minneapolis. Chauvin killed Floyd while detaining him for an arrest. Only the latest example of police brutality in the country, Floyd's death (which was recorded and shared with the public almost immediately after it happened) spurred massive protests across the country, some of which are portrayed in Piece by Piece. As with the rest of the movie, the sequence is animated like other LEGO movies.

Derek Chauvin was arrested and convicted for the murder of George Floyd. He is currently serving a 22.5-year state sentence for second-degree murder and a 21-year federal sentence for violating George Floyd's civil rights.

The shots of the massive protests and the subsequent police response are far starker than the more lively framing of the rest of the movie. The scenes are done in black and white, highlighting the seriousness of the topic. The music is lower and more dramatic, highlighting how different these events are compared to the brighter moments of happiness that Piece by Piece is largely focused on celebrating. The protest is modeled after protests following George Floyd's death, as evidenced by the presence of "I Can't Breathe" signs. Those were Floyd's final words and became a rallying cry for protestors.

Piece By Piece Plays Kendrick Lamar & Pharrell's Song Alright During The George Floyd Scene

Piece By Piece Recreates Many Elements Of Kendrick Lamar's "Alright" Music Video

Released in 2015 as part of his album To Pimp a Butterfly, "Alright" was a collaboration between Kendrick Lamar and Pharrell. The song was popular upon release, with the accompanying black and white video of Lamar around Los Angeles hailed as one of the best music videos of the year. The music video was already rooted in the acknowledgment of police brutality and problematic power structures around the world, as it was inspired by Lamar's visit to South Africa and ended with Lamar being shot by an officer. The song took more meaning thanks to the Black Lives Matter protests.

Many lyrics from the song were adopted as unofficial chants by the organization. "Alright" is played during Piece by Piece's protest sequence, further associating the track with the protest movement. Aspects of the music video for "Alright" were directly recreated in the film, such as the shots of Lamar sitting atop lamp posts along with the black and white monochrome coloring. The fact that Pharrell was involved in the production of the song gives it a clear reason to be included in the film. It also helps underscore the emotional heft of the sequence and Pharrell's response to the events.

How Piece By Piece's George Floyd Scene Connects To Pharrell's Story

Piece By Piece Becomes More Introspective After The Protest Sequence

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The protest scene in Piece by Piece feels like a harsh dose of reality brought into the otherwise largely colorful, optimistic and musical film. The dramatic beat lands harder because it comes as a deeply sobering moment. Even after experiencing the lowest moments of his career and in his confidence, Pharrell was able to reverse his fortunes, visualized by his marriage, the birth of his son Rocket, and the success of "Get Lucky" and "Happy." However, all the wealth and fame in the world can't undo or stop the tragedies of life, as seen through the protests surrounding Floyd's murder.

The scene is a reminder that the world is larger than just a musician's success, but their music can still be an important aspect of it. It also underscores Pharrell returning to his childhood home and reflecting on how he grew up from humble beginnings. This highlights the humanity at the heart of even massive celebrity stories like Piece by Piece. This also plays into the film's central themes about inspiring others, which Pharrell notes is a major inspiration for the film as a whole. In turn, this same inspiration can go beyond Piece by Piece and help society progress.