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Storyline
In the early 1970s, Nicholas Garrigan, a young semi-idealistic Scottish doctor, comes to Uganda to assist in a rural hospital. Once there, he soon meets up with the new President, Idi Amin, who promises a golden age for the African nation. Garrigan hits it off immediately with the rabid Scotland fan, who soon offers him a senior position in the national health department and becomes one of Amin's closest advisers. However as the years pass, Garrigan cannot help but notice Amin's increasingly erratic behavior that grows beyond a legitimate fear of assassination into a murderous insanity that is driving Uganda into bloody ruin. Realizing his dire situation with the lunatic leader unwilling to let him go home, Garrigan must make some crucial decisions that could mean his death if the despot finds out. Written by
Kenneth Chisholm (kchishol@rogers.com)
Plot Summary
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Plot Synopsis
Taglines:
Charming. Magnetic. Murderous.
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Details
Release Date:
12 January 2007 (UK)
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Also Known As:
El último rey de Escocia
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Box Office
Budget:
$6,000,000
(estimated)
Opening Weekend:
£861,991
(UK)
(12 January 2007)
Gross:
$17,605,861
(USA)
(18 May 2007)
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Company Credits
Technical Specs
Aspect Ratio:
2.35 : 1
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Did You Know?
Trivia
The black Mercedes presidential limousine used in the film had actually been
Idi Amin's.
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Goofs
Idi Amin held the rank of General until 1975, then promoted himself to Field Marshal. Throughout the movie, he wears insignia of both these ranks at differing times, making it appear that he continually switched between them. On the 'working' uniform, he always appears as a General (crossed swords, pip and coat of arms) where as in the 'dress' uniform he always appears as a Field Marshal (crossed sword and baton enclosed in oak leaves)
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Quotes
[
first lines]
Nicholas Garrigan:
Come on! Are youse ready?
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Soundtracks
Me and Bobby McGee
Performed by
Angela Kalule
Written by
Kris Kristofferson &
Fred Foster
Used by permission of EMI Publishing Ltd.
Engineered by Steve Jean
Produced by
Alex Heffes See more »
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.