The Last King of Scotland

Plot synopsis:
Scotland 1970. The sky is cloudy and stark grey and a group of newly graduated students jump into the lake to celebrate. Newly minted doctor Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy) is having dinner with his mother (Barbara Rafferty) and father (David Ashton), also a doctor. It is a drab affair and the father assumes Nicholas will join the family practice. We are left with an impression that Nicholas's father is a controlling man.In his room, Nicholas spins a globe promising himself "first place you land you go first place you land you go." Shutting his eyes, he jabs the spinning globe. Opening his eyes he sees that his finger has landed on Canada. Thinking about it for a moment or two, he spins the globe again and this time his finger lands on Uganda.Credits roll as we are in Uganda. It is bright, sunny, lush, and full of activities and life. Nicholas is riding the bus and becomes friendly with a young woman . A line of military vehicles and tanks pass the bus on their way to a military coup to overthrow president Obote. Nicholas is completely clueless and the young woman assures Nicholas they are safe and it will be a great time for Uganda now that Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker) will be president. Nicholas and the young woman have sex in her home.Nicholas arrives at his destination and meets Sarah (Gillian Anderson), the pretty wife of Dr. Merrit (Adam Kotz) whom he will be working for in a rural clinic. Merrit is a dedicated doctor, a "good man" who frequently leaves his wife and Nicholas alone in the clinic while he attends emergency cases several miles away. Nicholas offers to accompany Merrit or attend to an emergency case himself but Merrit dismissively tells him to stay at the clinic. Nicholas is disappointed with his latest 'father figure'. Sarah has a world-weariness about her.Though 80% of the villagers prefer their witch doctors, Nicholas still has his hands full with treatments and inoculations. While playing soccer with the village children, he hears that Amin will be giving a speech nearby and convinces Sarah to attend the rally with him. The two really stand out in the rally as they are the only white people there. Listening to Amin orating to a crowd of Ugandans, Nicholas is deeply impressed and enjoys the high spiritedness around him. Amin promises a reign of peace, prosperity, public health care and other visionary advancements. Nicholas sees Amin as the rest of the world first sees him; a charismatic and entertaining figure who was greeted with enthusiasm by his people and who seemed to have their interests at heart.Driving back to the clinic Sarah cynically said the Ugandans gave the same party to Obote before throwing him out. Nicholas thinks Sarah should give the man a chance to do his job before criticizing him. They are interrupted by terrified soldiers begging them to come treat Amin who has been in an accident. The scared soldier is our first clue of Amin's true character.The presidential motorcade has collided with a cow and Amin is sure that his hand is broken. Nicholas quickly determines that the injury is just a sprain and works to bandage Amin's hand. Unable to concentrate on his bandaging on account of the dying cow's incessant bellowing, Nicholas impulsively grabs a pistol sitting on the car and shoots the cow, putting it out of its misery. With 10 machine guns immediately trained on him, Nicholas stammers an apology and returns the gun to a menacing Amin who demands to know if Nicholas is British. Nicholas clarifies that he is Scottish and shows his emblem tee shirt under his first shirt. Amin's behavior immediately does a 180 degree turn and praises the Scottish culture and people, especially their historical warriors. Nicholas is confused but charmed by this man who seems to take a genuine interest in him. Amin asks for Nicholas's tee shirt for his son, Campbell and the two men exchange shirts. Amin's military shirt sits like an oversize coat on Nicholas.Later that night Nicholas invites Sarah for drinks on the porch. Knowing full well of Nicholas's intention, Sarah confides that as a wife of a "good man" she is often unnoticed and undervalued. Nicholas is empathetic as his own father is a "good man". Nicholas kisses her; Sarah quickly comes to her senses and leaves Nicholas alone. The next day the Ugandan Health Minister, who is Amin's #1 adviser, arrives to bring Nicholas to Amin in the presidential limousine. Thinking that the hypochondriac Amin just wants him to re-tie the bandages, Nicholas promises Sarah that he will return soon and is whisked away to the bustling capital, an active modern city and a far cry from the dilapidated village Nicholas is working in.Nicholas meets Amin and is taken back by the offer to be his personal physician. In an example where Amin's craziness seems benign at first he tells Nicholas that he has already dreamed the date of his own death. "I know exactly when I'm going to die so you do not need to worry about making a mistake". Nicholas turns down the job offer twice and Amin guesses that Nicholas has an infatuation with a married woman back in the village. He promises to take Nicholas back to the village first thing in the morning but first he must attend tonight's state dinner. Since Nicholas does not have a suit Amin sends him to a tailor.Measured for a suit by Asian tailors (they are either Indian or Pakistanis), Nicholas worries about the cost and the tailor assures him it is covered by the president's account. Overhearing this is a British diplomat, Stone. Outside the tailor shop Nicholas hears a commotion and sees a man being chased by Amin's men, who catch the man and stuff him into the trunk of their car. Amin's men are hunting down suspected Obote supporters. Stone praises Amin's "firm hand" - after all, he trained among Scottish soldiers with the King's African Rifles. Stone says Amin is one of their own.The state dinner is a lavish affair and Nicholas is introduced to Amin's wives. Wife #1 has given Amin 5 children and wife #2 has given Amin 3 children. The third wife is simply introduced as Kay. Kay tersely thanks Nicholas for the tee shirt for her son Campell, it is her way of saying she has given Amin a child as well. Amin makes a rousing speech starting with stories of Greeks stealing philosophies and Arabs stealing medicine knowledge from Africa and claiming them as their own. He says Uganda will be an independent and great African country and, please enjoy the food as he humorously promises that it contains no human flesh. Nicholas meets Stone again and Stone remarks that it is nice to have another Englishman around. Nicholas peevishly clarifies that he is a Scotsman. Amin's fondness for Nicholas is obvious and the British diplomats tease Nicholas that Amin has "clasped you to his bosom".Nicholas is woken in the middle of the night by the frantic servant and summoned to Amin's bedroom. Amin is lying in bed in pain, sure he has been poisoned. Nicholas palpates the stomach and notice glasses of beer and aspirin on the night stand. He finds a baseball bat, presses it against Amin's stomach and a large amount of gas is released. Amin immediately feels better and the Health Minister, who was watching the entire scene, leaves. Amin is ashamed and upset that Nicholas has seen him in his greatest weakness; fear and paranoia. Nicholas assures confidentiality due to the doctor's oath. Amin opens up a bit to Nicholas with stories from his childhood while the soundtrack tells us that Nicholas has been unwittingly trapped.Some time later Nicholas calls Sarah to apologize for accepting Amin's offer. In the background Amin is playing with his numerous children. Nicholas is given a swanky apartment in the immaculate presidential compound and his job is set up in the Presidential Hospital where he meets his predecessor, Dr. Junju. At the hospital he runs into Stone again who wants to use Nicholas as a spy due to his exceptional access to Amin. Nicholas rebuffs Stone's offer, nonetheless Stone cautions him to "keep in touch."Nicholas enjoys the benefits of being in Amin's inner circle and Amin takes him everywhere except outside Uganda. Due to their great physical differences, Nicholas looks something like Amin's pet or trophy. Very soon Nicholas is more than Amin's personal physician but also his most trusted advisor, something Amin says many times in front of senior officers. One day Amin tells Nicholas to attend a meeting in his place as he has to go to Libya at the last minute. Nicholas arrives at the meeting and introduces himself. The attendees are surprised that Nicholas is a doctor and Nicholas is surprised to learn the attendees are important contractors from the foreign consulates. The meeting is to bid for construction contracts.Dressed in Islamic garbs, Amin examines the model for the new building and is pleased with the design Nicholas has chosen. Praising Nicholas's good taste, Amin tells the Health Minister he has no sense of style. The Health Minister simply stares at Amin. Amin's pleasant mood turns sour and he sends the Health Minister away. Amin asks Nicholas if he thought the Health Minister looked at Amin strangely. Nicholas says no.While examining X-ray pictures, Nicholas and Junju hear a series of explosions. Rushing to the hospital roof they see columns of smoke rising in the distant hills where political prisoners are held in a prison. Gunfire can be heard. A messenger comes running looking for Nicholas, saying that the President's son is sick. Nicholas is taken to a house and finds a distressed Kay hovering over a boy in the midst of a seizure. Nicholas assumes that the boy is Campbell but Kay says he is Mackenzie. It is clear Nicholas never heard of or seen Mackenzie before despite being the family's physician, and it is clearer that Kay and the servants have no idea Mackenzie's condition is called epilepsy. Nicholas wants to take Mackenzie to the hospital but Kay begs Nicholas not to, as she and her son are banished from the palace. Kay says Amin regards her as a "bad omen" wife because of Mackenzie's condition and they cannot live in the palace with the other families. Nicholas gives Mackenzie a shot to calm the seizure and then puts him to bed. Nicholas finds it ridiculous that Mackenzie does not have access to medical attention and makes an appointment for McKenzie at the hospital. Kay looks at Nicholas differently this time.Amin is hosting a state event and he is dressed in Scottish garb, kilt and all. Scottish folk songs are sung in African arrangements. During the ceremony Kay and Nicholas exchange glances; Amin notices this. The following morning Nicholas is woken early by Amin. To thank Nicholas for helping his epileptic son Amin gives him a brand new silver Mercedes convertible. Nicholas is beyond thrilled and Amin wants Nicholas to drive him to the airport. Nicholas returns to his apartment to change only to see that Amin has followed him into his room. Realizing Amin is not going to leave, Nicholas quickly changes his clothes and asks about the explosions and gunfire heard coming from the hills. Amin says his men held off Obete's men at the prison and quickly changes the subject.Driving together to the airport following the presidential limousine, Amin tells Nicholas that his epileptic son has all the material comfort he needs. Nicholas argues that exiling the boy denies him treatment and a father's attention. Amin counters that Nicholas has never been poor. Their argument is interrupted by trucks of assassins targeting the presidential limousine. Nicholas manages to drive Amin out of harm's way.Once secured and surrounded by military men, Amin freaks out and repeats to Nicholas that he cannot die because he saw it in his dream. Amin continues to rant and vent about traitors while Nicholas is silent and shell shocked. Amin begins screaming for his number #1 advisor, the Health Minister, and belittles Nicholas for not knowing where he is. A solider comes to Amin to tell him some of the assassins are caught. Amin brings Nicholas with him to see the captured assassins who are being tortured. While Amin screams and rants at the prisoners, Nicholas looks down and notices there is blood on his hand.Nicholas is shaken by the recent events and goes to a Holiday Inn lounge to unwind and calm down. There he sees the Health Minister talking to a white man in a secretive manner. Some time later Nicholas is in Amin's office having him sign papers for supplies for the hospital. As he is leaving, Amin calls Nicholas back and asks him what is on his mind as it is obvious Nicholas is distracted. Nicholas admits he saw the Health Minister at the Holiday Inn lounge talking to a strange white man. It's probably nothing but perhaps Amin should talk to the Health Minister. Nicholas reiterates it is likely "nothing."While lounging in the pool in presidential compound, Nicholas sees Kay and MacKenzie playing in the pool with the rest of the family. Kay tells Nicholas that Mackenzie is doing much better now that he is allowed to return to the palace and play with his brothers. Kay seems happy for the first time and looks at Nicholas fondly. While Nicholas is admiring Kay, Stone arrives and tells Nicholas that people are disappearing in the countryside. Out of loyalty and ignorance, Nicholas accuses Stone of being a typical Brit with no regard for Africa and that he's sure there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for those disappearances. Stone then tells Nicholas that the Health Minister is one of the disappeared. Panicked, Nicholas goes to the Ministry of Health building only to find a different person is now the Health Minister. Nicholas knows it is his fault the Health Minister is likely dead even as he delivers the "official statement" that the Heath Minister has fled the country for embezzling funds and is a suspected Obete supporter. Nicholas soon learns that the Health Minister was securing a supply of medicine from the white man in Holiday Inn lounge.It is raining heavily late at night and Nicholas is floating in the pool alone, distressed and upset. Nicholas goes to see Amin to announce he is going home. Amin turns around and it's actually a body double in Amin's uniform. The real Amin and his goons jump out of the shadows laughing and teasing Nicholas. Amin keeps saying "I caught you I caught you" in a childish manner. There are several body doubles in the room and Amin asks Nicholas if the body doubles are more handsome than him. Nicholas of course says no and Amin taunts one of the body doubles that he is ugly. This is another example of Amin insulting his underlings.After sending his body doubles and goons out of the room, Amin turns serious and tells Nicholas that he cannot go back to Scotland, Uganda is his home now and he is like to a son to Amin. Nicholas begs that he is way over his head especially after the Health Minister affair. Amin scolds Nicholas for his naivety ("nothing can come from nothing"), arrogance, and his white man's attitude toward Africa. Amin then embraces him.Amin throws a party with go-go girls to cheer Nicholas up, even featuring himself as an Uganda cowboy. This doesn't help as Nicholas still looks very unhappy and downs drink after drink. He runs away from a go-go girl assigned to him and straight into Kay's arms. They end up having sex in a room while the party is still going outside. Kay warns Nicholas that Amin has always been this way and only now shows his true character to Nicholas. She tells him needs to find a way to get out of Uganda. Nicholas still tries to rationalize that things aren't really that bad. Nicholas and Kay return to the party to find it dispirited now that Amin is playing a melancholy tune on the accordion in a trance-like state. This is one of many examples of Amin's quicksilver temperament.Nicholas returns to his apartment after the party only to find it in completely ransacked. He finds an envelope and upon opening it finds a Ugandan passport with his picture. His Scottish passport gone, Nicholas goes to see Stone who shows him gruesome pictures of murdered people suspected of being Obete's supporters, even entire tribes have been wiped out. Stone saves the best for last, a picture of the dead Health Minister. Stricken, Nicholas pleads for help to get out of Uganda but Stone says he has to "earn his passage" by killing Amin now that the British can no longer control him. Nicholas learns that he has been called "Amin's white monkey" by others.Trapped without friend or allies, Nicholas and Kay continue to find comfort with one another.Amin grows increasingly unpredictable and Nicholas's hospital is filled with refugees and victims of Amin's regime. His latest crazy scheme is to kick all Asians out of Uganda within 90 days, calling them leeches. This is part of Amin's plan for an all-black African country. Nicholas arrives at the hospital to find it in total chaos as Amin's goons are trying to expel Asian patients. Goon#1 is beating up Junju and Nicholas stops him and demands that the goons leave the hospital. The goons leave but not before goon#1 gives Nicholas an especially evil glare.Nicholas goes to Amin and tells him he cannot expel the Asians as they have lived in Uganda for generations and only they have the ability to run the infrastructure of the country. Uganda's economy will be severely crippled if Amin carries out this mad plan. Amin doesn't believe Nicholas and angrily dismisses him as "nothing but a doctor - a nobody".Kay calls Nicholas in a panic that Amin is "going to kill us." She is pregnant. Kay threatens to go to a village witch doctor and Nicholas begs her not to, that he will somehow arrange the abortion in a clinical setting and that they will do it first thing in the morning. The following morning Nicholas tells Junju what has happened and he understandably freaks out and refuses to have the abortion done in the hospital as Amin is sure to find out and kill any doctors performing the abortion. Nicholas decides he will have to do it himself and raids the medical supply room for the necessary operation when goon #1 interrupts him and said Amin wants to see him right away.Amin is in hysterics, furious over international newspapers labelling him a madman and a cannibal. He screams that "these are all lies!" and threatens to throw all foreign journalists out of Uganda. He starts in on Nicholas and angrily demands to know why Nicholas did not warn him not to throw the Asians out of Uganda. Nicholas furiously protests that he did precisely this, and Amin throws back, "Ah, but you did not persuade me!"Cornered, Nicholas advises Amin not to throw the journalists out of Uganda but instead invite them where he can turn on the charm. Amin calms down and happily coos "what will I do without my Nicholas." But Nicholas only looks frightened and Amin asks if there is anything else. Nicholas says no. Amin grabs Nicholas by the face and asks again. Nicholas, losing courage, still says no. Amin lets go of him and says he has to stay for the press conference.By now we realise the two men's relationship is something of a bizarre love affair, an on-then-off again romance with the heart of darkness. The irony is Nicholas left Scotland to escape a controlling father figure only to be captivated by another, and has gone from the frying pan into the inferno.At the press conference Amin turns on his charm for the media to distract them and the world from what he's really doing. It works as nearly all the foolish journalists nod their heads in agreement with Amin's ridiculous explanations. Not surprising as many of history's great villains were charismatic enough to get people to go along with their actions. In this conference we find out why Amin calls himself the Last King of Scotland. He sees in Scottish devolutionary ambition a parallel to Africa's own struggle against the English and announces since he has successfully defeated the British, he will do the same for Scotland and hence he will be their king.After the press conference Nicholas drives like a bat out of hell to Kay's house only to find weeping servants telling him Kay has already gone to the witch doctor and now has been taken to the hospital due to complications from the back-alley abortion. Nicholas rushes to the hospital only to hear creepy wailings. Following the noise he finds series of crying people in the hallway, some appear to have gone insane. Going down to the basement he finds hordes of distressed people and goon#1 telling them this is what happens to those who betray Amin. Entering the morgue he finds Kay's dismembered body. Her legs have been sewn on in place of her arms and her arms in place of her legs.. Her son is in the same room. Nicholas cries over Kay's body and vomits.Nicholas goes to see Amin who is watching porn with his goons. He gloomily tells Nicholas that he did it to make an example of Kay because she betrayed him. Nicholas gives Amin a bottle of pills for his "headache" and rushes out. Outside he is stopped by the guards and brought back inside where Amin is gleeful and jovial and teases Nicholas for "running away from me". He tells Nicholas that Palestinian terrorists have hijacked an Air France plane and he has allowed them to land in Uganda. Amin feels this is an opportunity to both help his "Palestinian brothers" and show the world what a great leader he is.While riding to the airport with Amin and the goons, Nicholas nervously eyes the bottle of headache pills still in Amin's hands, indicating that the pills are actually poison. Amin, Nicholas, and the goons arrive at Entebbe airport where Amin assures the news media that the hostages will be looked after and sends in Nicholas. Nicholas notices that goon #1 now has Amin's bottle of pills but he can do nothing about it. Nicholas meets Junju and the nurses that are giving malaria pills to the hostages. While treating the hostages for shock, Nicholas sees goon #1 going outside with the pills. Nicholas follows and sees goon #1 force a child solider to take the pill. Before the boy could swallow the pill Nicholas runs out and makes the boy spit out the pill.In the next scene the goons are dragging a badly beaten Nicholas in front of the horrified hostages to a shop out of sight from others. Amin tells Nicholas that he knows about the affair with Kay and tells him a story of a practice done in his village to purge a man of evil by hanging him by his skin. Every time the man screams, a bit of evil is released. Amin tells Nicholas that he has "grossly offended your father." Nicholas reaches up to touch Amin and whispers, "You're a child. That's what makes you so scary."The goons bring ropes and 2 hooks. Holding Nicholas up they proceed to pierce his chest with the hooks while Nicholas is looking straight into Amin's eyes, refusing to scream. Nicholas is strung up and hangs from the ceiling by his skin (a couple of people in the movie theater passed out watching this scene). He never screams and appears to have died. Amin watches, looking genuinely sad and sheds a tear. Amin goes outside and his public persona immediately returns, smiling charmingly for the cameras. He announces that Israel is willing to negotiate and he has made arrangements for the non-Israel citizens to be safety transported away by plane.The goons take down Nicholas's body and proceed to the basement to unwind with cards and alcohol, leaving the body on the floor of the shop. Junju sneaks in, gives Nicholas a shot (probably adrenaline) to wake him up, bandage up his body and face, and wipe off as much blood as he can. Junju tells Nicholas that while he may deserve to die, he is useless dead. Junju plans to have Nicholas escape with the non-Israelii hostages to a plane and tell the world the truth about Amin, after all they would believe him since he is a white man. Junju gives Nicholas his blazer to better disguise him and pushes him out the door just as the hostages walking to the plane pass by. The hostages help him walk to the plane and comfort him once they are safely on board.The goons return and discover the body gone and go tearing through the airport looking for him. They find Junju trying to leave the airport and suspect that he has something do with the missing doctor. They take Junju back to the shop and shoot him in the head. The goons interrupt Amin's press interview where he has just explained that he has broken off relations with Israel. The plane is safely in the air and Amin watches it fly away.Knowing that he is finally truly out of Uganda, Nicholas lets himself pass out.Epilogue reveals that 48 hours later the Israeli military force made a daring raid on the Entebbe airport and rescued all the hostages except one that died.World opinion permanently turned against Amin.(Personal note: Ugandans saw the Israeli's successful rescue of the Entebbe hostages as a sign of Amin's weakness and this was the turning point on Amin's hold on his power)Amin was overthrown for good in 1979. He died in 2003 while living in exile in Saudi Arabia. He is responsible for 300,000 deaths in Uganda.The movie shows actual documentation reels of Idi Amin, including a scene of a Ugandan marching army dressed entirely in Scottish garb.

Tags: dark, murder, dramatic, violence, flashback, philosophical, historical

Review:
Gripping, brutal and powerful, 'The Last King of Scotland' is a brilliant dramatic depiction of the life of megalomaniac Ugandan dictator, Idi Amin, perfectly portrayed by Forest Whitaker in his Oscar-winning performance as one of the greatest casting against type roles seen in film.
Impressed by the young man's lack of hesitancy to take action, Amin appoints Garrigan to be his personal physician, a post that seduces the impressed doctor into the Ugandan dictator's political inner circle and extravagant lifestyle.Scottish director Kevin MacDonald brings his extensive documentary film-making skills to the fore here, as he creates a most realistic-feeling atmosphere in capturing the oppressive Uganda of the 1970's.
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.
With "The Last King of Scotland," Kevin MacDonald has created a bracing, exciting and totally satisfying thriller.Forest Whitaker gives a titanic performance as Idi Amin, Ugandan dictator who rose to power in the 1970s.
James McAvoy plays Nicholas Garrigan, a Scottish physician who travels to Uganda for the adventure and wins Amin's affections, becoming his personal doctor.
Gillian Anderson also does terrific work in a small role as a fellow doctor, who understands things about Amin and the African culture that Garrigan does not.Unlike other recent thrillers set in African nations ("The Constant Gardener," "Hotel Rwanda"), "The Last King of Scotland" is not greatly concerned with the geo-political implications of Amin's reign.
The movie is seen completely through the eyes of young Nicolas Garrigan( James Mcavoy)a young Scottish doctor who decides he is tired of Scotland and ready to venture into another country to make a difference.Soon after he begins his work in the town he begins a friendship with Idi Amin(Forest Whitaker)a powerful African leader who offers Garrigan a job as his personal doctor.
Their developing relationship is wonderful to behold on screen, and for me was the main strength and the key point that made this movie go above and beyond.Spoiler ahead: Being a ill informed young adult I know close to nothing about African history, so therefore I had no idea what kind of leader Idi Amin was until the crashing scene when Garrigan figures out that he is actually a murderous dictator, who is destroying the African economy.
In the book, however, he looks at a far more colourful figure, Field Marshall Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC etc, president for life of Uganda, from the point of view of a young Scottish doctor, Nicholas Garrigan, who is plucked from a remote mission hospital to be Amin's personal physician and adviser.There is some factual basis for this in that Amin did at one time have a Scottish doctor and he also had as a close adviser a former British army officer, Bob Astle (who Foden interviewed living in retirement in Wimbledon) but essentially we are looking at fiction, based on the premise what would it have been like to have been a young, impressionable, rather feckless and sexually adventurous doctor working for Idi Amin.At first, being at Amin's court is a pretty heady experience for young Nicholas (who as played by the elfin James McAvoy with early 70s long hair seems to be a teenager).
However the initial charm shown by Amin gives way to a darker violent streak as Garrigan finds the superficial stability of the country and its leader is nothing of the sort.Famous now for the performance that will deservedly win an Oscar in a few weeks time, this film actually doesn't have Amin as the "main" character despite him being the draw and the title character.
Rather it's another of Peter Morgan's 'factions', (part fact, part fiction and co-written with Jeremy Brock), dealing with real people in situations which may, or more likely may not, have happened; in this case how a young Scottish doctor, (James McAvoy, first-rate), became principal physician to the Ugandan dictator Idi Amin.
And fuelled by his close personal relationship with Amin.The film winds itself up into a crescendo of violence to the that's like sitting in the launchpad in Space Mountain (believe me that's a scary moment).Thought provoking and authentic, thanks partly to shooting on location and partly due to Whittaker's performance this is a very good movie indeed..
At that time he was viewed as a "darling" by the western nations that helped bring him to power.As a novelist, I commend Giles Foden, Kevin MacDonald, Forest Whitaker, and the entire cast and crew of "The Last King of Scotland" for presenting such a vivid, albeit sketchy account of the horror of the Amin regime.
The love story between the doctor Nicholas Garrigan and Amin's wife is for instance a major flaw from a realistic point of view, even if it serves some narrative purposes, and the end of the movie is rather silly and really hard to believe when you consider the situation.
Based on the events of the brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin's (Forest Whitaker) regime as seen by his personal physician called Garrigan (James McAvoy) during the 1970s , which resulted in the deaths of a half million people .
The earliest of horror films used a concoction of suspense, Gothic imagery and implied brutality to trigger the viewer's imagination into assuming the worst, in the process leaving them terrified.When watching The Last King of Scotland I was finally given a reminder that these techniques have not been forgotten.The film charts the story of Nicolas Garrigan (James McAvoy), a young and charismatic Scottish doctor, who moves to Uganda looking for adventure, but rapidly winds up the newly appointed president Idi Amin's (Forest Whitaker) personal physician, with all the side effects.
Director Kevin Macdonald turns Forest Whitaker from an underrated Hollywood b-lister who rarely played anything other than a disturbingly likable character, into a truly terrifying tyrant.Amin was an inspiring leader capable of great speeches as is shown in the film, but it is the other forms of persuasion displayed are far more interesting.
This is when Amin's true colors shine and we are aware of what lies behind his false appearance as a caring humanitarian -- a ruthless, psychotic and literally cannibalistic monster.'The Last King of Scotland' doesn't center around Idi Amin, but young Scottish doctor Nicholas Garrigan (played by James McAvoy, who you may remember as Mr. Tumnus is last year's smash hit 'The Chronicles of Narnia'.) Garrigan is fresh out of medical school and instead of putting up with his father's (who is also a doctor) subtle mental abuse, he decides to go do missionary Medical work at the first place his finger lands while spinning a model globe.
The Last King of Scotland is the story of a young Scottish doctor, played by the wonderful James McAvoy, who ends up being Amin's personal physician and adviser.
There was me thinking for once I may agree with the Oscars...No chance...This is the most sanitized version of Idi Amin's regime that could've been made...Oh my god...They pulled someones hair....What a farce...So devoid of facts that I wanted to cry...Only Film Four (a British film company) could make a movie that swept under the carpet soooo much African suffering to instead concentrate on a fictitious Scottish main leads minor woes and suffering (which I felt he deserved after taking the easy pleasure route - hang on don't get caught up in a make-belief character's nonsense P23...hehe).
Now I know this film has been around for a while now and I'am ashamed that its taken me such a long time to get around and watch it, but here is my review...Plot Summary Based on the book of the same name, written by author Giles Foden, this is the story of a young Scottish doctor who travels to Uganda to help local communities and ends up getting stuck right in the middle of Idi Amin's Regime.What I thought of it Having seen old reviews of this film I did have an idea of what I was in for when I pulled it out of my collection and sat down to watch it, yet it still impressed me.I must admit that before watching this film I did do a bit of research into the subject just to get an idea of the setting and history etc.I am very pleased to say that director Kevin McDonald has done a very good job of getting Idi Amin's true behaviour and methods across onto film with sensational acting from Forest Whitaker.
I had no doubt that Forest Whitaker would do brilliantly in this role as he has in the past but he really does give, in my eyes, an Oscar winning performance matched only by that of James McAvoy who played Amin's physician.On a whole the acting in this film is of a very high standard as is work of the director and the whole crew.
Everything from locations to editing have been done well and add a great feel to the film.The only bad things I will say is that in the film, we don't really get a great idea of what the people of Uganda were going through at this time, the violence and such that they were living in, which I feel is a great shame as this really would have made our feelings towards Idi Amin and the countries people much stronger, whether they be good or bad.In Summary Overall I think this is a truly brilliant film in both story and acting, the cast, specifically Forest Whitaker really knew there role well and played on this fantastically, giving great insight into the life of Idi Amin and his closest friends and colleagues.I recommend this film to all, a definite must-see film.....7/10 Stars.
"Inspired by real events", Giles Fodin's novel becomes Oscar-winning triumph for Forest Whitaker, ideally and convincingly cast as Idi Amin who, in 1970 Uganda, staged a political coup, ousting the former African dictator with promises to the struggling country that he was just like one of them.
The movie is an adaptation of a novel offering the fictionalized story of a young Scottish doctor (James McAvoy) who becomes personal physician to Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, and we see the descent of that country into a brutal nightmare through his eyes.
Wouldn't it be interesting if movies ostensibly based on true people and events added a caveat like "but otherwise, this movie is 100% fiction." That was the thought that crossed my mind when I saw the caption at the start of the movie, telling viewers "this story is inspired by true people and events".Otherwise, The Last King of Scotland is a thoroughly entertaining thriller but of negligible value in giving insight into what Uganda was really like under Idi Amin's reign.
In fact, Amin is actually a supporting character in this movie, but Forest Whitaker's incredible performance pushes him front and center, in the same way that Anthony Hopkins made The Silence of the Lambs about Hannibal Lecter despite having only some 30 minutes of screen time.In actuality, the movie could well be subtitled The Nicholas Garrangan Show as the movie is actually about the young Scotish doctor (energetically played by James McAvoy) who goes to Uganda in search of adventure and ends up as Amin's personal physician and one of his closest advisers.Director Kevin McDonald really knows how to ratchet up the tension and if he wanted to, he could easily join Paul Greengrass in bringing grit and edge to mainstream thrillers.
Based on the novel by Giles Foden, The Last King of Scotland is inspired by true events from the brutal regime of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin as told by his personal physician in the early 70s.Scottish director Kevin Macdonald directs fellow Scot, James McAvoy, as the fictitious Dr. Nicholas Garrigan, who sees Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker) as both charismatic and terrifyingly gruesome.
While McAvoy is able to hold his own, acting-wise, against the fierce Amin portrayed by the Oscar-deserving Whitaker, he suffers from his youth; he looks like he belongs in high school and not believably a young doctor interested to help the plight of the African poor.Gillian Anderson (more popularly known from The X-Files) has an understated role as Sarah Merrit, wife of the small town doctor whom Nicholas originally came to help.
It's no surprise that in the rush of things after he whimsically decides to practice medicine in Uganda (anything is better than becoming an exact duplicate of his father), he unknowingly becomes best friends with the devil.Most of the politics of Amin and his rule are side-stepped in order to focus on the story of this fictional character, Nicholas, played by James McAvoy.
During the 70s,dictator Idi Amin ordered the genocide of a lot of people in Uganda(the total of victims are between 300.000 and 500.000),which was part of a large list of atrocities which were later revealed to the people.The last king of Scotland tells the events of Idi Amin when he was a dictator but from the point of view of his personal doctor.The result is a great and very interesting movie which deserves to be seen.The movie is very fun,it's never boring and it always kept me interested.Forest Whitaker makes an extraordinary performance and all the awards he received are totally deserved.James McAvoy(who appeared in The chronicles of Narnia)has a difficult character but the actor makes a fantastic performance.David Oyelowo has a great performance as Doctor Juju.Gillian Anderson has a short but excellent performance as an English doctor.Director Kevin MacDonald tells this story shaking reality and fiction on a dramatically efficient way and that results very appropriate.Also,he has a special talent in showing scenes of big impact for their content(like the tour for an Amin's torture room)or for their narrative style(like a persecution in the streets of Kampala).The real locations in Uganda give realism to the film and the atmosphere this movie brings is totally disturbing.The last king of Scotland is a great movie with perfect performances and which is very interesting and has a good level of realism..
Amin could have been depicted merely as a comical Gilbert and Sullivan grotesque (which he was), but Macdonald - in his first feature film  uses his documentary-making experience to present Amin also as a far from fictional mass-murderer.Amin is revealed in all his horrendous authenticity by the creation of a fictional character in the young Scots doctor Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy) through whose eyes we see the dictator in all his raw brutal detail.
'The Last king of Scotland' is by far in my own opinion the best film of 2006' current acting favorite, James Mcavoy, plays a wet behind the ears young doctor, who sets out on a voyage of self discovery and more, travel's to 1970's Uganda where he becomes caught up in a political coup,and inadvertently becomes involved, and subsequently becomes personal physician and adviser, to madman dictator Idi Amin, initially he is treated like royalty by the Scottish culture loving Amin, played by Forest Whitaker in the role he was born to play, the resemblance is frighteningly uncanny.
To be sure,I feel like this is neither a remarkable or unique development in the world of politics,but to get a closer look at this regime and the larger-than-life,mercurial man behind it is still eye-opening.Scotish Physician Nicholas Garrigan(James McAvoy,who makes me wonder if Hugh Grant has a long-lost Scottish relative)moves to Uganda on somewhat of a whim,expecting to do good for man plying his profession.
Kerry Washington(As amin's third wife),Gillian Anderson(as the co-chief of the mission where Garrigan originally works),Simon McBurney(As the Brit diplomat,deep in the know)and David Oyedeno(As the former regime physician)show up and add to the story,but they are sparingly used,there to frame certain chapters in the turn of this relationship between ruler and doctor/adviser,and thusly,ruler and country.As hard to watch in parts fascinating and difficult to look away from in others,this movie may suffer a little from excess or of narrative abridgment,but it is as worthy as any movie to see this Oscar/Golden GLobe/whatever season.
Part-biopic, part-docudrama, but mostly supercharged thriller, The Last King Of Scotland tells the complex tale of a cocky young doctor Nicholas Garrigan (played by James McAvoy) who comes to Uganda by pure chance in the seventies, only to find himself as the personal assistant of one Idi Amin, the flamboyant dictator-cum-president of the newly independent nation.
However one of those movies "The Last King Of Scotland" is among the best out of the bunch of films that came out this year competiting against movies like "Dreamgirls","The Queen", "Children Of Men","The Flags Of Our Fathers","Pan's Labyrinth","The Departed",and so much more."The Last King Of Scotland",brilliantly tells the strange and gripping story of a young Scottish doctor(James McAvoy from "The Chronicles Of Narnia")who in 1971 signs up fresh out of college with the British Ministry of Health to work in a remote Ugandan village and winds up living the high life in the capital city of Kampala,clutched to the turbulent bosom of General Idi Amin(Forest Whitaker).
To make up a story around a doctor who never existed, bring him together in relationships with real life characters as a way to describe Idi Amin and the history of Uganda makes no sense and in fact is a huge draw back to the intensity of any film.
While I found "The Last King of Scotland" to be an entertaining movie with a superb lead performance from James McAvoy and supporting performance from Forest Whitaker as Idi Amin, I left the theatre wanting to learn more about the lead character of Dr. Nicholas Garrigan.
Giles Foden - on whose book this film is based - uses the fictional Garrigan as a device to reveal his portrait of Amin.Forest Whitaker is excellent in the role but I could not get past the fact that it was an actor - a very good one - giving a performance.