The Last King of Scotland (2006)

Director:

Kevin Macdonald

Writers:

Peter Morgan (screenplay) and
Jeremy Brock (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

12 January 2007 (UK)

Genre:

Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

Charming. Magnetic. Murderous.

Plot:

Based on the events of the brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin's regime as seen by his personal physician during the 1970s

Plot Keywords:

Pregnancy | Attempted Poisoning | Forbidden Sex | Terrorism | Male Frontal Nudity

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 34 wins & 20 nominations

Cast

Forest Whitaker	...	Idi Amin
James McAvoy	...	Dr. Nicholas Garrigan
Kerry Washington	...	Kay Amin
Gillian Anderson	...	Sarah Merrit
Simon McBurney	...	Stone
David Oyelowo	...	Dr. Junju
Stephen Rwangyezi	...	Jonah Wasswa
Abby Mukiibi Nkaaga	...	Masanga (as Abby Mukiibi)
Adam Kotz	...	Dr. Merrit
Sam Okelo	...	Bonny
Sarah Nagayi	...	Tolu
Chris Wilson	...	Perkins
Dr. Dick Stockley	...	Times Journalist
Barbara Rafferty	...	Mrs. Garrigan
David Ashton	...	Dr. Garrigan (senior)

MPAA:

Rated R for some strong violence and gruesome images, sexual content and language.

Runtime:

121 min | Canada:121 min (Toronto International Film Festival) | USA:123 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English | French | German

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15 | Finland:K-15 | Spain:13 | New Zealand:R16 | Malaysia:18PL (DVD) | Japan:R-15 | Australia:MA | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | Norway:15 | France:-12 | South Korea:18 | Netherlands:16 | South Africa:16 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Canada:18A (British Columbia) | USA:R | Germany:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:M18 | Brazil:16 | Ireland:15A | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

UK

Company:

DNA Films

Trivia:

Idia Amin's full title is as follows "His Excellency President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin, VC, DSO, MC, Lord of All the Beasts of the Earth and Fishes of the Sea, and Conqueror of the British Empire in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular".

Goofs:

Anachronisms: In the scene where the President and the Doctor travel to Entebbe airport in the soft-top Mercedes and are ambushed - two white Bedford trucks block them to the front and the rear. The trucks are AWD Bedford's with a silver AWD logo mounted on the front. AWD took over Bedford trucks only in 1989 some 10-years after Amin was removed from Uganda (in 1979)

Quotes:

[first lines]
Nicholas Garrigan: Come on! Are youse ready?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Dancing with the Stars: (#6.2)" (2007)

Soundtrack:

The Bonnie Banks O' Loch Lomond

You're My Closest Adviser

Greetings again from the darkness. A true tour de force by Forest Whitaker ... the best performance of the year so far! Somehow Mr. Whitaker captures the madness and charm of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. Amin was one of the first political rock stars. He used the media to his advantage as his regime slaughtered hundreds of thousands of his countrymen.

Also impressive is James McAvoy ("Chronicles of Narnia") who plays the dramatized Nicholas Garrigan, a young doctor who sets out on an adventure to make a difference in a small country and ends up counseling one of the most powerful madmen in history. Scottish documentarian Kevin Macdonald directs the film with only a few lapses in directness, which serve this biopic very well. Watching Amin and the young doctor immerse themselves in the shower of power is both frightening and sickening. Macdonald captures this spirit very well thanks mostly to his willingness to let his two leads do their thing.

As Amin laughs and tells Garrigan that "You are my closest adviser", I couldn't help but compare to Kathy Bates telling James Caan (in "Misery") that "I'm your number one fan". The evil and insanity is simply chilling. Whitaker is just amazing as he flips the switch from media darling to cold blooded, ruthless murderer ... and then back again. Just a terrific performance and well worth the price of admission - maybe a couple of times! Good for a laugh is the most unique version of Janis Joplin's "Me and Bobby McGee" that you have ever heard ... guaranteed! See this one for a bit of history and the site of a real monster, but also for one of the best film performances ever.