The Last King of Scotland

I went to see The Last King of Scotland tonight at the Princess Twin.

rotten tomatoes gives it 90% - I agree. I can see why Forest Whitaker as Idi Amin won the Golden Globe for Best Actor - Drama and why he is nominated for an Oscar.

Basically the story is, because of a twist of fate, a Scottish doctor on a Ugandan medical mission becomes entangled with one of the world’s most barbaric figures: Idi Amin. Impressed by Dr. Garrigan’s take-charge attitude in a moment of crisis, the newly self-appointed Ugandan President Amin hand picks him as his personal physician and closest confidante. Though Garrigan is at first flattered and fascinated by his new position, he soon awakens to Amin’s savagery - and his own complicity in it. Horror and betrayal ensue as Garrigan tries to right his wrongs and escape Uganda alive.

The music is great, beginning with some great lively Ugandan music and becoming increasingly darker as the story advances in a spiraling escalation of corruption, paranoia, decadence, and isolation.

Whitaker does an incredible job of acting. I actually liked Amin at the beginning of the film. And then you see his parania take over - an incredible transformation.

The film is rated R "for some strong violence and gruesome images, sexual content and language" — and the rating is fair. But remember, this is a film about Idi Amin, not Captain Kangaroo.

It's a powerful film.