Inside the big picture show. Jan. 31 2007 12:24 PM Based on True Events By Kim Masters Catching up on homework: Well, we finally got around to slipping The Last King of Scotland into the DVD player. For some reason it took a while to bring ourselves to watch the bloody mayhem that must be a part of any movie about Idi Amin—and part of many films angling for Oscar. At the beginning, there was the inevitable "inspired by true events" claim that is also mandatory for many movies angling for Oscar. After that unfolds a preposterous tale—and there are major spoilers to come—that left us wondering, exactly which true events inspired this? At a glance, the only facts in the film are that there was a deranged dictator named Idi Amin in a place called Uganda and, at one time, a hijacked Air France airliner landed there. * The movie, based on an acclaimed novel by Giles Foden, tells the tale of a young Scottish doctor who finds himself a favorite of Idi Amin. The doctor can be rather plucky with Amin but generally ignores the growing evidence of the hideous truth.

He busies himself with knocking up one of Amin's wives and then getting her an abortion. Unfortunately the boss is wise to him and has him hung by hooks thrust into his flesh. Far more fortunately, this hanging takes place at the airport at the exact moment when some Entebbe hostages are being released. A noble colleague sacrifices himself to free the bloodied doctor, who slinks off with the Entebbe hostages. His doomed savior admonishes him to tell the world of the outrages perpetrated in Uganda. Advertisement This series of astonishing events made us curious about the truth upon which the story was based. It was late, so we were left with Wikipedia. (In the Internet age, truth is easy to come by—right?) We found that the character of the young doctor was loosely based on a fellow named Bob Astles, who was neither Scottish nor a doctor. Twice married, he was an English adventurer who worked for Amin while running a pineapple farm as well as an aviation service. He later said, "I kept my eyes shut, I said nothing about what I saw, which is what they liked." Astles eventually became the head of Amin's anti-corruption squad.

"Until today, what Astles did or did not do during Amin's brutal tenure is conjecture," the Wikipedia article concludes. "He was feared, and considered by many to be a malign influence on the dictator; others thought he was a moderating presence." It's imperative for novelists to invent, of course, but why does the film industry have a compulsion to palm off stories based on "true" events that are not just miles but light-years from the truth? Not that many people will see The Last King of Scotland—although more than might be expected, thanks to Forest Whitaker's almost assured best actor award. And how many of them will walk away thinking they've seen something that is more true than not? The bottom line is that Hollywood has little respect for the truth. When he was making JFK, Oliver Stone became enraged when George Lardner, a Washington Post reporter who had covered the assassination of John Kennedy, got hold of a script and denounced the story as preposterous. It wasn't fair, Stone said, to judge an unfinished movie by a screenplay.

Pressed about whether the misrepresentations in the screenplay wouldn't also be in the film, Stone said the movie would represent an "essential truth," and that adherence to actual fact was less important. Advertisement And there you have the Hollywood attitude—the movie version is the one that counts. The only time we can remember that this approach was stuffed up the industry's nose was when the 1999 film The Hurricane was attacked for misrepresenting facts about boxer Rubin Carter. That episode did not teach the industry caution. Instead, a lot of time and expense is devoted to re-creating the look and feel of a period with no regard to what actually occurred. Many will defend the Hollywood way as an exercise of the artist's prerogative. And obviously there are many immortal stories told in historical settings. But it would have been peculiar if Thackeray suggested that Vanity Fair was "inspired by true events" because his characters were caught up in the Napoleonic Wars. And, if you are dealing with something as momentous as the assassination of a president, you might want to stick to facts that were dramatic enough.

If you have a strong story—a fiction about a young doctor and an African dictator—why not just embrace it for what it is and lose the tenuous "true story" claim? Diddling with history, as we've seen, can be a dangerous business. ( link ) Friday, Jan. 26, 2007 Advertisement Another helping : More scoop on the earlier report that Brad Grey was denied credit on The Departed. The academy is searching its soul. Last night, the academy decided that Brad Grey cannot accept an Oscar should The Departed win in the best picture category. The academy also decided that only three of five producers will be permitted to accept the award for Little Miss Sunshine should it win. Advertisement The academy giveth, the academy taketh away. The academy has said it will let the Producers Guild decide the issue of who deserves a "produced by" credit for award purposes. The guild attempts to vet the question thoroughly. It decided that Grey didn't deserve the "produced by" credit for The Departed. But it also named five producers for Little Miss Sunshine. Here's where the academy parted ways with the guild.

The academy has held that no more than three people should go on stage to receive the best picture award. So it booted two of the five Sunshine producers. It's a tough break for Ron Yerxa and Albert Berger, who first shopped the script around Hollywood, recruited the directors, and who, most importantly, were sufficiently involved throughout to get the "produced by" credit from the guild. The arbitrariness of this decision is apparent even to the academy, and we now hear that the group will re-evaluate its rules and consider whether it should just stick with the guild decisions on who gets to accept the best picture award in the future. Advertisement It may be too late for Yerxa and Berger. But their picture did set a Sundance record when it sold for $10.5 million. It has silenced those who mocked Fox Searchlight for overpaying, as the film has grossed almost $100 million worldwide with more to come (pretty good margins for a movie that cost about $8 million). But no producer wants to be the one who was treated so unfairly that the academy had to reconsider its rules. 5:15 P.M.

( link ) Here's a scoop : Sources tell us that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has decided not to recognize Paramount chief Brad Grey as a producer on The Departed. Recall that Grey had helped to put the movie together as a manager/producer before he assumed his current role. The Producers Guild had denied him a "produced by" credit, a decision that he appealed unsuccessfully. The academy generally follows the guild's lead on this issue, but Grey nonetheless appealed. Now, that appeal has apparently been denied, meaning that should The Departed win on Oscar night, Grey will have to content himself with a quick hug in the aisle. Since the film was released by Warner, and Paramount has Babel in contention, some in the industry feel that's the appropriate result. 2:07 P.M. ( link ) Thursday, Jan. 25, 2007 Men in Black: Creative Artists Agency has just moved into its formidable new digs (our friends at Defamer have already noted the terror that struck a Century City denizen who observed an incursion of agents into a shopping-mall food court). The new location presumably will be quite comfortable once they get the air-conditioning trouble straightened out.

Meanwhile, CAA's rivals can content themselves with the image of CAA agents, for once, sweating. But what of CAA's old home at the intersection of Santa Monica and Wilshire Boulevards? The gleaming I.M. Pei-designed monument to CAA co-founder Michael Ovitz's lofty dream? It seems just yesterday that ground was broken there with a feng shui ceremony and a flight of white birds. Well, the feng shui seems to have worked well for the agency, which dominates the industry. But it didn't do much for the chi between the former CAA partners who own the now-empty building. Last May, the Los Angeles Times speculated that after CAA departed, the building would become "the most expensive Beverly Hills office space in memory." A tenant would ante up about $6 million a year—or a pricey $5 a square foot—for this influential address. But no one has stepped up. The building is owned by Ovitz and erstwhile partners Ron Meyer (the head of Universal Studios), producer Bill Haber, and former CAA Chief Financial Officer Robert Goldman.

CAA has rented the building from them since 1995 and—according to at least one source with firsthand knowledge of the situation—is still paying rent. And the building—with its giant, custom-made Roy Lichtenstein painting still in the lobby—is standing vacant. More than a year ago, the owners hired the Cushman & Wakefield brokerage firm to lease the building. But then, nothing happened. "It's the weirdest thing," says veteran Beverly Hills real estate agent Gary Weiss. "All of us don't understand it." Maybe it's not so weird after all. The building has a curving facade, and the space inside is idiosyncratic and difficult to reconfigure. With its soaring atrium, a tenant would be paying a lot for space that can't be put to use. When Ovitz was working on the plans, Weiss says, "I don't think they paid much attention to whether it was efficient or not." Then there's the question of what to do with the Lichtenstein. The canvas is gigantic—the artist worked on it in situ—so it's not something that could hang in one's living room or even in an ordinary office lobby.

It would be a problem, in fact, to get it out of the building. Sotheby's has apparently advised that it can't be removed from its stretcher without damaging it. "You tell me how you move that," says a longtime CAA partner. The former CAA partners who own the building (and the painting) put Ovitz in charge of it back in the late 1980s, when it was conceived, and that's the way it is today. Meyer has since said that at the time, he was like an abused spouse in a trance. He could hardly have imagined the acrimony that would follow when the marriage split up, as it did in 1995. (When Meyer landed the job at Universal—a position that Ovitz had sought for himself—Ovitz's incredulous response at learning that Meyer had gotten the offer was enough to sour the relationship. Matters didn't improve when Ovitz later tried to purchase land in Malibu that Meyer had picked out for his dream house.) Now Meyer must wait for Ovitz to rent, sell, buy—do something with the building.

One CAA agent said he'd heard a rumor that Ovitz may want to turn the space into a museum. Through a spokesman, Ovitz dismissed that idea. Certainly Ovitz has a big, expensive collection of modern art (not to mention an ego that could use a new monument, following his ill-fated tenure at Disney and the failure of his management company). And Lichtenstein is already there. Ovitz didn't respond to queries about what he intends to do with the building. ( link ) Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2007 The Field Shapes Up: This year's race for the best picture Oscar is starting to resemble the 2008 presidential campaign: so many contenders but no one compelling choice. By now, you know that Dreamgirls pulled in the most nominations—eight—but was snubbed for best picture and best director. It is fascinating to imagine how this news is being received at Paramount headquarters, where Babel (from the studio's Vantage label) got seven nominations, including the big ones. All has turned out well for studio chief Brad Grey.

He got to issue a press release proclaiming that his studio led with 19 nominations, knowing that his friends at his DreamWorks "label" were left to lick their gaping wounds. Yes, this was a bad day for DreamWorks (though not for composer Henry Krieger, who appears to be the single most nominated individual, with three best song nods for Dreamgirls). Clint Eastwood, having been snubbed by the Directors Guild, the Writers Guild, the Producers Guild, and the Screen Actors Guild, had to be at least a little surprised to be running another victory lap with his best director nod for Letters From Iwo Jima. "When it comes to the Academy, never overlook an old guy who can do it and do it well," chortled one voting member. The academy showed a healthy respect for diversity. African or African-American actors got five of 20 nominations (Forest Whitaker, Eddie Murphy, Will Smith, Jennifer Hudson, and Djimon Hounsou).

And the academy recognized all three of the three amigos—Alejandro González Iñárritu for Babel, Guillermo del Toro (for best foreign-language nominee Pan's Labyrinth), and Alfonso Cuarón for writing and editing Children of Men. As the dust settles, little light has been shed on the eventual best picture winner. Some think that since only Babel and The Departed were nominated in the influential editing category, the race comes down to those two. Others point out that a contingent of academy voters hates Babel and dreads nothing more than seeing it become this year's Crash. Another group seems inclined to go only so far for Scorsese—and especially for this movie, which seems to have a number of endings. So, if you need help with this year's office pool, don't call us. There are a lot of factions out there—making for mathematical possibilities too weird to contemplate. ( link ) Correction , Jan. 31, 2007: The article originally and incorrectly identified a hijacked Air France airliner as an El Al airliner.

( Return to the corrected sentence.) The Last King of Scotland Reviews & Ratings - IMDb IMDb 17 January 2017 8:34 AM, PST NEWS 288 out of 342 people found the following review useful: Basically this is excellent historical fiction about the torturous Idi Amin from United States 24 September 2006 There have been so few pictures this year that are standouts. This movie is one of them. Much of what you will see is true, and did occur in Uganda's history. Amin's doctor, played by James Macavoy, is the main fiction in the movie, but one would think they are watching a historical event. Macavoy's character is so real. The doctor grows from a free thinking, adventure loving, womanizer, to a scared, concerned, and enlightened person. The viewer watches through Macavoys eyes as he witnesses the horrors of Amin's (Forest Whitaker's) presidency and regime. Forest Whitaker, IS Amin in this feature. Whitaker is not the silent sometimes brooding character you remember in other films he has been in.

His accent,his face, and his emotions seem to no longer be Whitaker's but Amin's. This movie will scare the viewer because of its realism, and how it builds up to a tension that is hard to endure. The visuals are not for the squeamish. Go ahead and hide your eyes during the "tough" scenes. It is still worth seeing this movie for the fast paced story, realistic drama, fascinating tale, and for the unbelievable acting. By the end of the movie the audience is exhausted, but satisfied that they saw a worthy flick. Was the above review useful to you? 189 out of 223 people found the following review useful: You're My Closest Adviser from Dallas, Texas 1 November 2006 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. Was the above review useful to you? 182 out of 214 people found the following review useful: Forrest Whitaker alone is worth the price of admission from United States 24 October 2006 How can an actor terrify you without saying a word, without even hardly moving his face or body? I'm not sure how he does it, but Mr. Whitaker does it over and over again in this movie. And then he turns around the next minute and becomes giant hug-able teddy bear superhero. Forget all the others, this is the best horror film of the year. This movie, and his performance in particular, grab hold of you and never let go. Whitaker should win an Oscar for best actor, I've never seen a better performance in my life. Also notable is the Nicholas Garrigan character who is written and acted very skilfully to draw the (non-African) spectator into the world of Uganda and Amin.

The way his character willingly "falls into" Amin's web of charisma somehow goes a long way toward mitigating the racist potential of a story about a very troubled (African black) man. The way the interplay of the two lead character's cultural backgrounds plays out on screen moves the story beyond just their personalities and into the realm of incisive socio-political analysis and critique. This movie is quite incredible, really. Was the above review useful to you? 172 out of 213 people found the following review useful: A Hugely Exciting African-Set Thriller from United States 21 October 2006 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.

Garrigan enters into a moral crisis as he begins to realize the kind of man Amin is, and begins to fear for his own life as events spiral more and more out of his control. Whitaker seizes the chance to play this larger than life character and runs with it -- I've never seen Whitaker give so convincing and transforming a performance. However, as good as he is, McAvoy impressed me more. His performance as Garrigan is not as showy, but it's much more textured and subtle, and his character has the bigger arc from start to finish. 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 atrocities he committed against Ugandans are given only the barest of mentions, and the film sticks almost exclusively to Garrigan and the danger he himself faces.

Some may think the film is irresponsible for this reason -- that the plight of one man pales in comparison to the plight of thousands, and I can see where a criticism like that is justified. But the movie packs a powerful wallop regardless, and complaints like this seem like quibbles when up against such an entertaining movie. Grade: A 28 September 2006 *** This review may contain spoilers *** Life, unlike bad movies, is seldom obvious. In life, murderous dictators don't appear - especially at first - as mustache-twirling Snidley Whiplash figures, cackling madly (although Mussolini came close). The scary truth about monsters is that they are three-dimensional beings, not cardboard cutouts, who just kill a lot of people, but otherwise put their pants on one leg at a time, like you and I, and that makes them so much scarier than if they came from another planet.

In the best film of the "dictator genre," Oliver Hirschbiegel's brilliant "Downfall," Hitler appears as a man who is kind to his dog and his secretary (roughly in that order), and the impact of the work is all the greater as we witness what a "real person" is capable of doing. In Luis Puenzo's "The Official Story," Pinochet's reign of terror is depicted through a single act of violence, as a door is slammed on Norma Aleandro's hand; the effect is stunning and "real." In the hands of a less talented director, the story of Idi Amin would be told against mountains of skulls and bones left behind by Uganda's mad ruler in the 1970s.

(His total toll is estimated at 300,000.) In Kevin Macdonald's complex, intelligent, gripping "The Last King of Scotland," more than half of the two-hour film subtly implies, hints at the dark forces underneath normalcy while "life goes on." And so, having established real contact with the audience, a jolly and seductive Forest Whitaker then takes our breath away as the mask comes off, and his Amin reaches out from the screen for your throat. Macdonald - whose previous works are documentaries, including the Oscar-winning "One Day in September," about the Munich Olympics terrorist incident - looks at Amin through the eyes of a young Scottish doctor (James McAvoy), a well-meaning, honest humanitarian slowly seduced by the Scots-loving Amin, who appoints him his personal doctor and then adviser. The McAvoy character is fictional (although Amin did have a Scottish doctor), coming from Giles Foden's novel of the same name, but just about everything else in the film is based on fact - so much so that some documentary footage is smoothly integrated into the film.

And yet, what's important and outstanding about "Last King" is that just as a painting can surpass a photograph in presenting reality, this film conveys the seduction and horror of a brutal dictatorship indirectly, subtly, unexpectedly. Unexpected - and welcome - are the many flashes of humor, both Whitaker (dictator with personality) and McAvoy (eager pup of a doctor with overactive hormones) making the best of it. The tone is set in the opening sequence, as the frustrated, suppressed young Dr. Garrigan spins a small globe, swearing repeatedly that he will move to the first spot ("the first!") where he points when the globe stops. The first spot turns out to be Canada. McAvoy/Garrigan takes one look, hesitates... and spins again. And so to Uganda... The linear, freely-flowing story-telling is masterful, taking us from the small village where Dr. Garrigan comes to do good and ends up doing well through a chance meeting with Amin, to Kampala, much court intrigue and colorful depravity (even as the fate of a nation is at stake), and eventually to Entebbe.

Fun and games, authentic scenery (the film was shot in Uganda), subtlety, psychology, a heart-pounding scene at Entebbe (after the hijacking, but before the Israeli rescue), nudity, sex, violence, harrowing questions about "what would you do," and all - "Last King" is a wonderful compendium of facts and greater truths. Also, a hell of a good movie. Was the above review useful to you? 100 out of 114 people found the following review useful: Whitaker's Towering Portrayal of the Mesmerizing Ugandan Dictator Lifts This Historical Fiction from San Francisco, CA, USA 2 February 2007 Forest Whitaker's ferociously charismatic turn as Idi Amin so dominates this intense historical fiction that it is honestly difficult to pay attention to anything else in this 2006 political thriller. Even though he is definitively the emotional locus, he is intriguingly not the protagonist of the story. That role belongs to young James McAvoy, who plays Nicholas Garrigan, a precocious Scottish doctor who ventures to Uganda to satisfy his need for adventure after graduating medical school.

By happenstance, Garrigan is called upon to help Amin with a minor sprain after his private car plows into a cow. 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. Helping considerably with this image are the vibrant color contrasts in Anthony Dod Mantle's cinematography and the propulsive action induced by Justine Wright's sharp editing. Screenwriters Peter Morgan (who also wrote "The Queen") and Jeremy Brock have developed a sharply delineated character study of Amin, who evolves from a magnetic leader giving hope to his people to a scarifying tyrant conducting murders on an imaginable scale (at least until the genocides in Rwanda and Darfur). It is impossible to over-praise Whitaker's towering performance here.

He conveys the dictator's playfulness as well as his unmitigated rage moving from simmering to full boil with a power that is at once bravura and subtle. His relationship with the fictionalized Garrigan turns out to be the plot's essential pivot point, although the contrast between the two can be almost too extreme at times. While McAvoy admirably captures the boyish naiveté of Garrigan, the character is drawn out in rather broad strokes that make his self-delusion all the more contrived as the story progresses. To intensify the political upheaval portrayed, the plot takes a melodramatic turn into an adulterous affair and even folds in the infamous 1976 Entebbe hijacking incident to illustrate Garrigan's increasingly precarious situation. It's all exciting and even downright brutalizing toward the end, but it also starts to feel a bit too Hollywood in execution. Kerry Washington shows genuine versatility as Amin's cloistered third wife Kay, while Simon McBurney oozes cynical suspicion with ease as a British operative. A convincingly Brit-accented Gillian Anderson makes her few scenes count as a weary clinic worker who proves to have better instincts than Garrigan.

But see the movie for Whitaker's magnificent work. He is that good. Was the above review useful to you? 111 out of 136 people found the following review useful: Forest Whitaker-Scary as Hell 15 October 2006 *** This review may contain spoilers *** "The Last King of Scotland" is a slickly made powder keg of a film about Idi Amin's (Forest Whitaker) horrific dictatorship over Uganda in the 1970's as seen through the eyes of his fictionalized Scottish doctor (James McAvoy). Whitaker is mesmerizing from the word "go" and brilliantly displays how captivating a character Amin was: charming, theatrical, paranoid, and mad as hell. Director Kevin MacDonald only alludes to the horrors (300,000 massacred) while delivering a music-video style account of the free-wheeling decadence of Amin's regime while he still played in favor to his people. Much of the film runs like the early parts of P.T.

Anderson's "Boogie Nights" or any gangster saga from Scrorsese: hyper-edited, smoothly shot scenes depicting humor, violence, sex, nudity, and overly-indulged individuals new to money and power. It would've been more compelling had tighter focus been paid to Amin instead of the highly unlikable doctor character, who for the most part comes across as a flighty, over-educated twit with foggy ideas on good deeds and uncontrollable hormones that lead him to hounding after every marginally attractive married woman he comes across, including a barely recognizable Gillian Anderson donning a British accent, and Kerry Washington as Amin's third wife (duh, doc!). About two-thirds of the way through, MacDonald lets Whitaker loose, and his rampage is awe-inspiring. It culminates in a pulse-pounding white-knuckle twenty minutes that muddle a historical event concerning Israeli hostages with the shockingly brutal finale of the young Scott's stay in Uganda. Again, it would've been more emotionally involving had the doctor been more deserving of our sympathy. Still, Whitaker is fuming and unforgettable.

He totally embodies the spirit of the oft-discussed and debated mad dictator, so much so that when the closing credits roll and we see stock footage of the real Amin, you'd swear these were images of Idi Amin playing Forest Whitaker. Was the above review useful to you? 89 out of 110 people found the following review useful: Astonishing film, that is carried by a great story and performances from Australia 11 April 2007 The last king of Scotland is scorcher of a film that follows the story of the horrid dictatorship that took over Uganda in the 1970s. 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. This misfortune of mine made this particular moment in the film simply magic, and I found myself just trying to get my head around how such a loving and joyful character can actually be so violent. End of Spoiler: This is where I realized what a fantastic performance Forest Whitaker had actually given. He had fooled me into thinking he was someone else, he had made me think that he was actually a genuine democrat only concerned about the Ugandan people. His change in character is so superb at times too that I found myself thinking that is simply unfair. James Mcavoy although overshadowed by Forest Whitakers brilliant performance deserves credit too. His portrayal of the young Scottish doctor who is both naive and brave is fantastic, and it is great to watch the young Scotsman grow with every movie hes in. Overall this is a simply astonishing film, telling an important story with some great performances.

No criticism even worth mentioning for this movie that kept me on the edge of my seat til the very end. Was the above review useful to you? 124 out of 181 people found the following review useful: Oscar is written all over it 26 September 2006 *** This review may contain spoilers *** A freshly graduated young doctor Nicolas from Scotland went to Uganda in 1970s hoping that he could offer his helping hands to the Ugandan people. Instead of serving the poor and needed, he met the charismatic Uganda dictator Idi Amin and his life is forever changed. I didn't know anything about Idi Amin before the film, but I know a great deal about him after the film. He is charismatic yet brutal. I can see myself to become his friend when I first meet him and then realize that he can be the worst monster in my life and I want to escape far away from him. Idi Amin's character is so lively and fascinating in this film, through the terrific performance by Forest Whitaker. I know it's just the beginning of the Oscar season, but Forest Whitaker definitely gives an Oscar worthy performance in this film as Idi Amin.

It's such a gripping film that keeps me on the edge of my seat all the time. The performance is outstanding, the cinematography is breathtaking, the story is compelling, the music is deeply moving, and the film is simply fantastic. And the Oscar is written all over it. Yes, I am giving it a rare 10 out of 10. Was the above review useful to you? 63 out of 80 people found the following review useful: Toxic temptations 30 September 2006 *** This review may contain spoilers *** In this film Kevin Macdonald, a Scot, directs James McAvoy, a Scot, as Nicholas Garrigan, a brash, spirited, and foolish young doctor just out of medical school in the early 1970's who overnight becomes a close associate of Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker), the new dictator of Uganda. Amin had served in the British army and developed an admiration for the Scots. He gave himself the title "His Excellency President for Life Field Marshal Al Hadji Dr.

Idi Amin, VC, DSO, MC, King of Scotland, 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." He liked to dress his soldiers in kilts and have them sing Scottish songs. Before this Macdonald made Touching the Void and other documentaries, including One Day in September, about the Munich Israeli Olympic team massacre. This film, which is not a documentary and departs freely from fact at least at certain key points, is based on the 1997 novel by Giles Foden, which concerns the doctor. But Macdonald's writers, including Jeremy Brock, who penned Mrs. Brown, and Peter Morgan, who scripted Frears' The Queen, have jazzed up the more bland original character and made him younger and bolder. Garrigan has picked Uganda at random. He is attractive and dashing: he's already flirting with the pretty blonde wife of the head of the rural medical clinic he's come to work in, when he's grabbed, with her, to "save" the paranoid Amin.

The newly ascended President for Life has hurt his hand in an accident involving a farmer's cow. Garrigan impresses Amin by not just calmly fixing his sprained hand but also grabbing his presidential pistol and putting the cow out of its misery. When Amin learns Nicholas is a Scot, he takes off his military shirt complete with medals and trades it on the spot for a "Scotland" T-shirt Nicolas is wearing -- for his son, Campbell. Amin has another son named Macgregor. Almost immediately thereafter Amin persuades the young doctor to leave the clinic and become his personal physician in Kampala, the capital (where the movie was shot), sets him up with a Mercedes and a posh apartment in the presidential compound, and makes him a most trusted consultant, allowing him to decide on the design for a major building. Observing this exceptional access, a cynical British diplomat (Simon McBurney) approaches Nicholas and cautions him to "keep in touch," an offer the young man initially rebuffs.

Garrigan's seduced, as are we, initially, by Amin's charisma and charm, and only gradually does he become skeptical and eventually horrified as he realizes he's the intimate of a ferocious dictator who, estimates say, killed off 300,000 of his citizens, as well as expelling all the Asians from the country. What's interesting is how the daring young man as we see him can hardly help being thus seduced; how the two men seduce each other. But Nicholas is in a terribly weak position when things go wrong. Whitaker and McAvoy play off each other nicely as they act out this process. Several dramatic events involving Garrigan in the two-hour film's latter segment strain credulity, including the way the young doctor's escape is intertwined with the Entebbe plane hijacking incident, and the kinds of trouble he gets into on the way to that escape. What makes this film, whose plot line can scarcely compete with that of the more multi-leveled and thought-provoking The Constant Gardener, and which has a grainy newsreel look that's undistinguished, is Forest Whitaker's astonishing performance as Idi Amin Dada.

Whitaker usually plays soft spoken, sensitive types. This time he nails a range from fearful to seductive to terrifying, connecting them with a seamlessly explosive energy. One would say Whitaker is this picture, except that it's unmistakably also young McAvoy's. Essential to the film is the way McAvoy, who's had mostly more minor and more purely physical roles before (he was the fawn in Narnia) plays off Whitaker beautifully and woos us too with his convincing enthusiasm and dash. This is a very watchable but also disturbing movie which one wishes might have maintained greater verisimilitude. When documentarians embroider the truth, sometimes they go off way too far. But this is not unusual: a great performance in a less-than-great movie. We have to take what we can get, and in The Last King of Scotland we get a very wild ride. Was the above review useful to you? Page 1 of 36: Audience Reviews for The Last King of Scotland ½ Brilliant drama with a stunning cast, and engaging story, The Last King of Scotland tells the story of the life of the personal physician of Ugandan dictator General Idi Amin, who is a brutal dictator.

The story is a standout drama, one that is highly engaging from start to finish. In the role General Idi Amin is Forest Whitaker, who gives the role a sympathetic nature despite the fact that Idi Amin was a brutal dictator, but that's what makes Whitaker such a standout actor. Starring aside Whitaker is James McAvoy, who has great on-chemistry with Whitaker and both actors elevate the film significantly. The Last King of Scotland is a superbly crafted drama well worth seeing if you want a riveting drama that is highly entertaining from start to finish. What makes the film what it is, is the performances, the well thought out script and unforgettable story, which is what stands out the most about the film. The performances are something quite unique as well, and like I said, Whitaker is truly superb, and I would say that this one of his best performances. The Last King of Scotland is a superb piece of film, one that is well worth seeing if you enjoy the genre, and with an incredible true story, excellent performances, and vivid storytelling, it's a film that will stay with you long after you've seen it.

This is a film that is worth seeing, and there never is a dull moment to be had throughout the film. If you're interested in the subject, or simply want to watch a great drama based on real events, and then you can do no wrong watching this film, it's a film well worth seeing, and it's one of tense, thrilling drama that is brilliant in the way that it tackles its story. Alex roy The Last King of Scotland (Film) - TV Tropes The Last King of Scotland You need to login to do this. Get Known if you don't have an account Share Film / The Last King of Scotland × "I am the father of this nation, Nicholas. And you have most... grossly... offended your father." Idi Amin The Last King of Scotland is a critically acclaimed 2006 Film of the Book which fictionalizes the rise and fall of Idi Amin , the infamous dictator from Uganda . The movie starts in 1970 with Nicholas Garrigan, a callow, Scottish medical graduate. In rebellion against his father, he goes to work as a doctor in Uganda.

While working in a missionary hospital and being hot for the married Sarah Meritt, he meets Idi Amin, a charismatic general who is so impressed with him that he appoints him to become his personal physician. The worst that can be said about this coup leader is his increasing paranoia that everyone is out to get him and the bad dreams suggesting when he's going to die. Plus, he farts big just like the rest of us. He's an alright dude. Soon Idi Amin descends from a smiling, wide-eyed man of the people to the butcher history will remember him as. This movie contains examples of: Adult Fear : Nicholas' situation. Imagine if you were friends with someone who's the leader of a nation and then they are being accused of being a dictator. Naturally you defend them, but what would you do when the accusations turn out to be facts and you watch your friend become unstable to the point where he'll kill anyone who does something he doesn't like, including you yourself?

Alcohol-Induced Idiocy : After Garrigan has seen ample evidence of what Idi Amin is capable of, he gets incredibly drunk and sleeps with Amin's wife, makes no effort to conceal the affair, and doesn't even use protection, leading to her pregnancy and her subsequent horrible death. All Girls Want Bad Boys : Every female, single or married, in the movie seems to hit on Garrigan. Also, Amin had three wives, but they probably did not have much of a choice. An Offer You Can't Refuse : After he's done humiliating Nicholas for not believing him about Amin's atrocities sooner, Stone offers his help... in exchange for assassinating Amin. Subverted in the fact that Nicholas initially refuses to do so, before Kay's brutal murder proves to be the final straw for him and pushes him into action. Antagonist Title : Brutal dictator Idi Amin is the eponymous Last King of Scotland referred to by the film's title (which was a real life title he took for himself). Nick Garrigan is the protagonist. Ax-Crazy : Idi Amin. He is an incredibly volatile and vicious Mood-Swinger that just gets worse and worse as the movie goes on.

Batman Gambit : Done by Nicholas in order to kill Amin. It doesn't work and the consequences for doing so are not to be envied. Bait the Dog : The central theme of the movie, both for Nicholas, and the audience. Black and Gray Morality : Nicholas is initially deeply contemptuous of the Smug Snake British diplomat Stone, but while Stone is clearly someone with ambiguous ethics himself, it quickly becomes apparent that Amin is a thousand times worse. Unfortunately, Nicholas' earlier contempt and blindness comes back to bite him, since Stone makes it clear that he is going to demand a high price in exchange for his help in getting Nicholas out of the country. Nicholas himself is also not a paragon, being a rather selfish, naive and venal man for much of the movie. Body Double : Amin uses one to briefly to trick Nicholas when he comes to talk to him. Bittersweet Ending : Well, since this is a biography, many people know that in the end, Amin was overthrown. However, considering what happened in the movie and the fact that the demise of Amin's regime is only mentioned in the credits, it's not exactly a happy ending. For Nicholas, it's more of a Downer Ending .

Broken Pedestal : Slowly but surely, Nicholas becomes disillusioned and then disgusted with Amin, the man he initially held in high esteem. Cold-Blooded Torture : Do not watch the last half hour or so of this movie if you've just eaten. Amin says the technique he used comes from a similar punishment in his childhood, with a tree, where every scream of the victim is evil leaving their body. Cultural Posturing : Amin thoroughly indulges in black nationalism, extolling Africa as the cradle of civilization and Uganda as the heart of the world. Decoy Leader : Nicholas mistakes an Amin double for the real thing. The Dragon : Masanga, the chief of Amin's soldiers. Double Standard : Kay, one of Amin's three wives, is discarded by him because he holds her at fault for their child having epilepsy, yet he's enraged at the discovery of her infidelity. The Last King of Scotland (2006) - Quotes - IMDb The Last King of Scotland (2006) Nicholas Garrigan : Scottish. I am Scottish. Idi Amin : Scottish? Ha! Ha! Why didn't you say so?... Great soldiers. Very brave. And good people.

Completely. Let me tell you, if I could be anything instead of a Ugandan, I would be a Scot. Nicholas Garrigan : Right... Really? Idi Amin : He. Except for the red hair, which I'm sure is attractive to your women, but which we Africans, we find is quite disgusting. Share this: Facebook | Twitter | Permalink Hide options Nicholas Garrigan : Why are you doing this? Djonjo : Frankly, I don't know. You deserve to die. But dead, you can do nothing. Alive, you might just be able to redeem yourself. Nicholas Garrigan : I don't understand. Djonjo : I am tired of hatred, Doctor Garrigan. This country is drowning in it. We deserve better... Go home. Tell the world the truth about Amin. They will believe you; you are a white man. Share this: Facebook | Twitter | Permalink Hide options Idi Amin : You promised to me you would help me build a new Uganda. You swore an oath. Nicholas Garrigan : The oath is... erm... it's, it's a doctor's oath of confidentiallity; we all take it. It's got nothing to do with Uganda.

Idi Amin : Huh? Nothing? Nothing comes from nothing. You have a conscience, I know you do. That is why you came here in the first place. Or are you like all the other British. Just here to fuck and to take away? No? Why else would I trust you with my family? You are like my own son. Nicholas Garrigan : My name is Nicholas Garrigan, and I'm from Scotland. I need to go home now. Share this: Facebook | Twitter | Permalink Hide options Idi Amin : You see. You are a doctor and a philosopher. Yes, I do have a good life now. Please, please. Sit here. I come from a very poor family, I think you should know this. My father left me when I was a child. The British Army; became my home. They took me as a cleaner, in the kitchens, cleaning pots. They used to beat me. [imitating British] Idi Amin : "Beat this wall, Amin." "Dig the latreen, Amin." And now, here I am. The President of Uganda. And who put me here, huh? It was the British.

Movie Spoiler for the film - THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND *CUT TO THE CHASE* NOTE: This spoiler sent in by Charlie. Scotland 1970. The sky is cloudy and stark gray and a group of newly graduated students jump into the lake to celebrate. Newly minted doctor Nicholas Garrigan is having dinner with his mother and father, 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' 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. Credit rolls 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 will be president. Nicholas and the young woman have sex in her home. Nicholas arrives at his destination and meets Sarah, the pretty wife of Dr. Merrit 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 dismissingly 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 convince Sarah to attend the rally with him. The two really stands 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 think Sarah should give the man the 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 strain 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' 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' 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 Uganda's Health Minister, who is Amin's #1 advisor, 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 was 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 Nichol 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 guessed that Nicholas has an infatuation with a married woman back in the village. He promised to take Nicholas back to the village first 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. Over hearing 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 catches the man and stuff him into the trunk of their car. Amin's men are hunting down suspected Obote's supporter. 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 said Uganda will be an independent and great African country and, please enjoy the food as he humorously promise that is contains no human flesh. Nicholas meets Stone again and Stone remarked it is nice to have another Englishman around. Nicholas peevishly clarify that he is a Scotsman.

Amin's fondness for Nicholas is obvious and the British diplomats tease Nicholas that Amin has "clasped you in his bosoms". Nicholas is woken in the middle of the night by the frantic servant and summoned to Amin's bed room. 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, press it against Amin's stomach and large amount of gas is released. Amin immediately feels better and 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 but he has accepted 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 of 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 Lebanon on the last minute. Nicholas arrives to 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' 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 sends the Health Minister away.

Amin asked Nicholas if he thought the Health Minister looked at Amin strangely. Nicholas says no. While examining X-ray pictures, Nicholas and Junji 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. Series of gun fires 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 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 call epilepsy. Nicholas wants to take Mackenzie to the hospital but Kay begs Nicholas not to, as she and her son is 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 a 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 gun fires heard coming from the hills. Amin said 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 counter 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 harms way. Once secured and surrounded by military men, Amin freaks out and repeats to Nicholas that he cannot die because he seen 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 notice there is blood on his hand. Nicholas is shaken by the recent event 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 leavening, Amin calls Nicholas back and ask 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. Nicolas reiterates it is likely "nothing." While lounging in the pool in presidential compound, Nicholas sees Kay and MacKenzie playing 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 country side. 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 reasonably 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 supply of medicine from the white man in Holiday Inn lounge. It is raining heavily late at night and Nicholas 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 shadow laughing and teasing Nicholas. Amin kept 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 drowns down alcohol after alcohol. 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 he 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 mood changes. Nicholas returns to his apartment after the party only to find it in completely ransacked. He finds an envelope and opening it revels an Uganda 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' 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 leaches. 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 lived in Uganda for generations and had the ability to run the infra-structure 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 threaten to go to a village witch doctor and Nicholas begs her not do, 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 decide 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 labeling him a madman and a cannibal. He screams that "these are all lies!" and threatens to throw out 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 advices 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 stalks and 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 realize the two men's relationship is something of 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 and into the inferno. At the press conference Amin turn 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 dismembered body with her legs sewn back on opposite stumps. Her son is in the same room. Nicholas cries over Kay's body and gets sick. Nicholas goes to see Amin who is watching porn with his goons.

He gloomingly tells Nicholas that he did it to make an example out of Kay. 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 Israel 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 poisons. 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 have 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 back the pill. 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 (couple 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 personal immediately returns, smiling charmingly for the cameras and announced that Israel is willing to negotiate and he had made arrangements for the non-Israel citizens to be safety transported away by plane. The goons take down Nicholas' 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 could. 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 passes 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 suspects that he has something do with the missing doctor.

They take Junju back to the shop and shoot him in the head. The goons interrupts Amin press interview who 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 Israel's successful rescue of the Entebbe hostages as a sign of Amin's weakness and thus 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 an Ugandan marching army dressed entirely in Scottish garbs.

*CUT TO THE CHASE* Brought to you by Young doctor Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy) comes to Uganda to “make a difference”, but more importantly, to get away from his father in Scotland. He is soon charmed by Idi Amin (Forest Whitaker), who had just taken power via a coup. Amin is, at first, very popular with the people, promising to build a new nation. Dr. Garrigan soon became Amin’s personal physician. Dr. Garrigan enjoys the life of luxury in Uganda, having fun, even ends up sleeping with Amin’s third wife, Kay (Kerry Washington). Soon, however, Amin’s erratic behavior, including paranoia, random outbursts, etc. scares Dr. Gerrigan. Dr. Gerrigan finally realizes the monster Amin is when a British diplomat shows him pictures of numerous people executed under Amin’s orders, including the Minister of Health in Uganda, which Dr. Garrigan mistaken thought was betraying Amin. Soon after, Kay ends up being killed and dismembered. Dr.

Garrigan attempts to assassinate Amin by giving him a bottle of poison pills, but that plan falls apart as one of Amin’s aids ordered a solider to take the pill first, and Dr. Garrigan runs out to stop him. He is tortured at the Entebbe International Airport, while the hostage crisis of Flight 139, which the PLO took hostages, was taking place (an actual event). As Amin’s aides were out for a break while Dr. Garrigan was strung up, Dr. Junju (David Oyelowo) frees him, and arranged him to be put on a plane, asking Dr. Garrigan to “tell the truth about Amin”. The plane was intended for hostages of Flight 139, as a part of Amin’s arrangement, to fly out of Uganda. Amin’s aids discovered this, executes Dr. Junju, but it is too late as the plane flys out with Dr. Garrigan onboard. You can send in your spoiler to other movies by going here . Send your questions or comments about this or any other spoiler to: THEMOVIESPOILER.com FOR A PRINTABLE VERSION OF THIS PAGE - GO HERE

Question: In what country did the movie "The Last King of Scotland" take place?
Answer: Uganda