Had I Known This Was About Idi Amin, I Would Have Watched It Sooner

Rating: 6/10 (2 July 2019)

Another example of how a bad or misleading title can reduce viewership. I love the story of Idi Amin - it's fascinating that this guy committed all of those war crimes, then moved to Saudi Arabia and lived like a Sultan for over 25 years (the movie glosses over this fact). I would have went to the theater to see this film... had I known what it was about. Much like 'Silver Linings Playbook' (2012), the title is bad and prevents people from moving toward the film. Bad titles create indifference. Writers and producers that are too close to a project often have creative title ideas that are so tangentially connected that no one instinctively understands or makes a connection. Therefore, a potential ticket buyer like myself is missed by a poorly constructed net of marketing and promotion. Note to movie studios: Marketing starts with a title, folks...
As for the movie, it's pretty good. I wish Gillian Anderson would have had a bigger and sexier role. I wish the sex scene with Kay Amin would have been less artistically shot and better lit, with more traditional angles. Forrest Whitaker was amazing as Idi Amin, playing the dictator as a big violent teddy bear.
Had I directed the film, it would have been a better film with a better title. But, it's a compelling story and I'm glad someone told it. I look forward to the next telling of the Idi Amin story, from a different perspective.
RealReview Posting Scoring Criteria:
Acting - 1/1;
Casting - 1/1;
Directing - 1/1;
Story - 1/1;
Writing/Screenplay - 1/1;
Total Base Score = 5
Modifiers (+ or -):
Standout Performances: 1 ( Forrest Whitaker );
Total RealReview Rating: 6