Reel Critics:

Michael Jackson is equal parts legendary pop icon and seriously troubled celebrity. He bears full responsibility for the triumph and tragedy of his complex and disturbing life.

Whatever you think about him, the rehearsal footage for his comeback tour provides a tantalizing glimpse into his craft and the future possibilities cut short.

“This Is It” reverberates with his famous high-energy performance skills and artistic focus. The great concerts that might have been are clearly on display here.

He is at once soft-spoken and highly resolved to prove his worth as the major player he once was on the cultural scene. But hints of the bizarre are also visible.

The camera offers several close-up angles of the strangest nose job on earth. He appears so thin in some outfits that even skin-tight pants look baggy on him.

At times, he is so pumped up that you can see the need for chemical assistance to slow him down at the end of the day.

Still, the great music, dancing and heartfelt effort reach out to remind us of the major talent at his core.

The fine supporting cast includes the outstanding Orianthi Panagaris. She is the electrifying guitar player who seems to channel Carlos Santana and steals the scene from Jackson more than once. This is a film sure to please fans. But it also gives the rest of us something to think about concerning America’s pop culture heroes.

Get ‘An Education’ about life’s choices

SUSANNE PEREZ

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is sweet but slick, tender but creepy.

Even his friends seem to be a bit puzzled over this girl in her school uniform, but they soon become as smitten with Jenny as he is.

“An Education” is a gem of a movie, a wistful, cautionary tale about choices and whether one is bright enough to learn from them.

JOHN DEPKO is a Costa Mesa resident and a senior investigator for the Orange County public defender’s office. SUSANNE PEREZ lives in Costa Mesa and is an executive assistant for a financial services company.