It could have been it.

Michael Jackson’s This Is It is a look behind the scenes as the King of Pop prepared for his farewell concert tour. It features MJ rehearsing the hits that were to be a part of the grand concert’s set list, such as “Thriller,” “Black or White,” and “Smooth Criminal.”

We glimpsed the preparation for monumental, special-effects and an ambitious stage show—such as a robot covered with videos that Michael was going to emerge from, a giant spider for “Thriller,” and 3-D effects.

Parts of the concert were going to be larger than life, with imagery of soldiers marching to infinity, and a giant bulldozer emerging on the stage. The vision for the concert was grand, and the planned dancing and choreography were superb. Though his health was compromised, you could still hear the power of his smooth, high voice, especially in a rendition of the hit “I Just Can’t Stop Loving You.”

As a master of his craft, Jackson knew exactly what he wanted. His process and work ethic are on display as he corrected minor parts of the sound, the dance, or the cue. After one take he quips to the camera, “that’s why this is rehearsal.”

This intimate look provides a chance to see what Michael Jackson was like as a person, as opposed to his music videos, concerts, or tabloid headlines. His humility and reverence for God come through strongly.

During the film he’d often mention doing this for God or for Love. This was evidenced in his communication style and interactions. In one scene he is shown giving feedback to a crew member. He gently explains, “I know you mean well, but this is difficult,” when asking to have his earpiece adjusted.

Considering all the marketing hype, the film itself isn’t as high-energy as the trailer makes it out to be. Maybe that’s to be expected considering it was just rehearsal footage, and not a polished music video or a finished work. The lack of energy is almost certainly related to Michael’s medical condition at the time. Looking at the frail Jackson, I felt a bit queasy. It was like seeing a ghost, and not simply because we know his unfortunate fate to come, but because he was livid.

The movie was at times poignant, such as when the dancers, with tears in their eyes, describe their feelings about auditioning. It was a dream come true for them.

Through the film, Jackson came through as much more than an entertainer, more like a preacher. He used music and dance to spread messages about love, peace, and caring for the earth. The songs “Earth Song” and “They Don’t Care About Us” and the thoughtful “Man in the Mirror,” amongst others, each hit home about their respective themes.

For MJ fans, this may rare be a rare occasion. As one of teary-eyed dancers said, describing his chance to audition: “This is it.”

The Informant is based on real incidents in the early 1990s where a vice president at agricultural giant Archer Daniels Midlands helps the FBI investigate price fixing allegations. The main character, Mark Whitacre (played by Damon) tells the FBI that ADM is involved in price fixing with its so-called competitors. On 15 September, 2000, Chicago Public Radio’s broadcast of This American Life was about this bizarre and twisted story, and the book The Informant by Kurt Eichenwald of the New York Times was released in 2001.

You might start to watch The Informant online, thinking that it will be a great cure for insomnia, but you’ll discover a thrilling story instead. If any writer of thriller fiction had turned this in to an editor, she would probably be laughed at for how outlandish the plot was. But the fact that it’s real makes it even more strange. The FBI has Whitacre wear a wire for almost three years to capture recordings as evidence of criminal activities at ADM, where customers are called enemies and rivals are called friends.

The problem was, Whitacre was also busy embezzling millions of dollars from ADM and struggling in his personal life with mental illness. Even though you might think it would be tedious to watch The Informant online, since a simple Internet search would tell you how it ends, you’ll really be hooked. Sure, fixing the price of lysine doesn’t sound like the most enthralling plot, but the bizarre corporate world of ADM coupled with Whitacre’s personal weirdness more than makes up for it.

You could read the book and listen to the archived episode of This American Life and still be engrossed in the movie. Sometimes a real story that is stranger than fiction makes you realize just how malleable the concept of “truth” can be. Watch The Informant online and find out for yourself.