George Floyd “Piece by Piece” reference explained

The following contains spoilers for Piece by Piece, in theaters now.In partsincludes a clear reference to the death of George Floyd and the social consequences of this event. For the most part, In parts is a good-natured, rhythmic exploration of Pharrell’s career as a musician and record producer. Combined with the decision to animate the story entirely out of LEGO blocks, it’s an enjoyable and inspiring story in many ways. It’s transformative In partstranslated into new animation forms, creating a more universal film that can easily combine flights of fancy with sweeping visual effects that capture deeply personal moments. Even in the most serious cases, it remains entertainment.

This largely light-hearted approach becomes more serious closer to In partsending. In the film’s third act, Farrell reflects on the state of the United States as the film shifts away from the musician and, indeed, to the world at large as protests erupt in the wake of deadly incidents of police brutality. This includes the murder of George Floyd, which is directly mentioned but not openly mentioned. Here’s how the protests that followed Floyd’s death shaped history In partsand how the resulting sequence expands on the film’s central themes.

Pharrell Williams shares his thoughts on the murder of George Floyd in parts

In parts Reflections on Farrell’s views on the world in general

Late In partsThe animated documentary shows Pharrell’s response to protests following incidents of police brutality like the one that killed George Floyd. Most of the plot In parts takes place before the events of 2020. However, Floyd’s death is shown to have had a clear impact on Farrell. While the question of his ethnicity as a black man came up, it was usually about how Pharrell subverted typical expectations by being a fashion-conscious skateboarder. However, George Floyd’s death and subsequent protests against police brutality color Pharrell’s view of the world.

This section of the film forces Farrell (as well as the audience) to acknowledge the harsh realities of modern society.. It is a powerful scene, set during a period of general reflection that the artist experiences in his career. The episode highlights the responsibility Pharrell ultimately feels as a prominent artist of color, as his collaboration with Kendrick Lamar on “Alright” serves as the episode’s musical score. Pharrell and Lamar discuss the song’s meaning and power as a protest anthem increasingly embraced by activists like those associated with the Black Lives Matter movement.

Pieces of the George Floyd protests are shown in LEGO form.

George Floyd protests filmed in black and white, but still in LEGO

The death of George Floyd caused a wave of outrage in the United States and around the world in 2020. Floyd was an African American man killed by Derek Chauvin, a white police officer in Minneapolis. Chauvin killed Floyd while detaining him for arrest. In just the latest example of police brutality in the country, Floyd’s death (which was recorded and made public almost immediately after it occurred) sparked mass protests across the country, some of which are depicted in In parts. Like the rest of the film, this episode is animated like other LEGO films..

The footage of mass protests and the subsequent police response is much more jarring than the more lively framing of the rest of the film. The scenes are in black and white, emphasizing the seriousness of the theme. The music is quieter and more dramatic, emphasizing how different these events are from the brighter moments of happiness that In parts mainly focused on celebration. The protest is modeled after the protests following the death of George Floyd, as evidenced by the presence of signs reading “I Can’t Breathe.”. These were Floyd’s last words and became a rallying cry for protesters.

Plays parts of Kendrick Lamar and Pharrell’s song during the George Floyd scene

In parts Recreates many elements of Kendrick Lamar’s “Alright” music video.

Released in 2015 as part of his album. Pump up the butterfly“Alright” is a collaboration between Kendrick Lamar and Pharrell. The song became popular upon its release, and the accompanying black-and-white video of Lamar in Los Angeles was considered one of the best music videos of the year. The music video was already based on acknowledging 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 and killed by an officer. The song took on even more meaning thanks to the Black Lives Matter protests..

Many of the lyrics from the song have been adopted by the organization as unofficial chants. “Okay” sounds during In partssequence of protests, further linking the track to the protest movement. Aspects of the music video for “Alright” were directly recreated in the film.for example, shots of Lamar sitting on lamp posts in black and white monochrome. The fact that Pharrell was involved in the song’s creation provides a clear reason for its inclusion in the film. It also helps highlight the emotional weight of the episode and Farrell’s reaction to the events.

How the George Floyd scene in Pieces Connects to Pharrell’s Story

In parts Becomes more introspective after a series of protests

Protest scene in In parts feels like a gritty dose of reality injected into this otherwise colourful, upbeat and musical film. The dramatic beat is heavier because it becomes a deeply sobering moment.. Even through the darkest moments of his career and gaining confidence, Pharrell was able to turn his fate around, as evidenced by his marriage, the birth of his son Rocket and the success of “Lucky” and “Luckily”. However, all the wealth and fame in the world cannot undo or stop life’s tragedies, as evidenced by the protests surrounding Floyd’s murder.

This scene is a reminder that there is more to the world than just a musician’s success, but their music can still be an important aspect of it. It also highlights Farrell returning to his childhood home and reflecting on how he grew up from humble beginnings. It highlights the humanity at the heart of even big celebrity stories like In parts. This also reflects the film’s central theme of inspiring others, which Farrell believes is the main inspiration for the film as a whole. In turn, this same inspiration can go beyond In parts and help society progress.