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The Last King of Scotland

  • 2006
  • R
  • 2h 3m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
190K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,445
114
Forest Whitaker in The Last King of Scotland (2006)
Home Video Trailer from Fox Searchlight Pictures
Play trailer0:13
21 Videos
44 Photos
BiographyDramaHistory

Based on the events of the brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin's regime as seen by his personal physician during the 1970s.Based on the events of the brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin's regime as seen by his personal physician during the 1970s.Based on the events of the brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin's regime as seen by his personal physician during the 1970s.

  • Director
    • Kevin Macdonald
  • Writers
    • Peter Morgan
    • Jeremy Brock
    • Giles Foden
  • Stars
    • James McAvoy
    • Forest Whitaker
    • Gillian Anderson
  • See production, box office & company info
  • IMDb RATING
    7.6/10
    190K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    3,445
    114
    • Director
      • Kevin Macdonald
    • Writers
      • Peter Morgan
      • Jeremy Brock
      • Giles Foden
    • Stars
      • James McAvoy
      • Forest Whitaker
      • Gillian Anderson
    • 396User reviews
    • 238Critic reviews
    • 74Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Won 1 Oscar
      • 49 wins & 32 nominations total

    Videos21

    The Last King of Scotland
    Trailer 0:13
    Watch The Last King of Scotland
    The Last King of Scotland
    Trailer 0:15
    Watch The Last King of Scotland
    The Last King of Scotland
    Trailer 0:13
    Watch The Last King of Scotland
    The Last King of Scotland
    Trailer 2:22
    Watch The Last King of Scotland
    The Last King of Scotland
    Clip 1:12
    Watch The Last King of Scotland
    The Last King of Scotland
    Clip 0:56
    Watch The Last King of Scotland
    The Last King of Scotland
    Clip 1:22
    Watch The Last King of Scotland
    The Last King Of Scotland Scene: Nicholas, I Have To Go
    Clip 1:29
    Watch The Last King Of Scotland Scene: Nicholas, I Have To Go
    The Last King Of Scotland Scene: Show Them What Kind Of Man You Are
    Clip 1:33
    Watch The Last King Of Scotland Scene: Show Them What Kind Of Man You Are
    The Last King Of Scotland Scene: The President's Son Is Sick
    Clip 1:23
    Watch The Last King Of Scotland Scene: The President's Son Is Sick
    The Last King Of Scotland Scene: Together We Will Make This Country Better
    Clip 1:44
    Watch The Last King Of Scotland Scene: Together We Will Make This Country Better
    The Last King Of Scotland Scene: I Have To Go Home Now
    Clip 2:02
    Watch The Last King Of Scotland Scene: I Have To Go Home Now

    Photos44

    Forest Whitaker and James McAvoy in The Last King of Scotland (2006)
    Forest Whitaker in The Last King of Scotland (2006)
    Forest Whitaker in The Last King of Scotland (2006)
    Gillian Anderson, Forest Whitaker, and James McAvoy in The Last King of Scotland (2006)
    Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, and Kerry Washington in The Last King of Scotland (2006)
    Forest Whitaker and James McAvoy in The Last King of Scotland (2006)
    Bradley Cooper at an event for The Last King of Scotland (2006)
    Cate Blanchett at an event for The Last King of Scotland (2006)
    Cate Blanchett at an event for The Last King of Scotland (2006)
    David Moscow at an event for The Last King of Scotland (2006)
    Forest Whitaker at an event for The Last King of Scotland (2006)
    Forest Whitaker at an event for The Last King of Scotland (2006)

    Top cast

    Edit
    James McAvoy
    James McAvoy
    • Dr. Nicholas Garrigan
    Forest Whitaker
    Forest Whitaker
    • Idi Amin
    Gillian Anderson
    Gillian Anderson
    • Sarah Merrit
    Kerry Washington
    Kerry Washington
    • Kay Amin
    Simon McBurney
    Simon McBurney
    • Stone
    David Oyelowo
    David Oyelowo
    • Dr. Junju
    Stephen Rwangyezi
    • Jonah Wasswa
    Abby Mukiibi Nkaaga
    • Masanga
    • (as Abby Mukiibi)
    Adam Kotz
    Adam Kotz
    • Dr. Merrit
    Sam Okelo
    • Bonny
    Sarah Nagayi
    • Tolu
    Chris Wilson
    • Perkins
    Dick Stockley
    • Times Journalist
    • (as Dr. Dick Stockley)
    Barbara Rafferty
    • Mrs. Garrigan
    David Ashton
    • Dr. Garrigan - Senior
    Daniel Ssettaba
    • Kay Amin's Servant
    Apollo Okwenje Omamo
    • Mackenzie Amin
    Louis Asea
    • Campbell Amin
    • Director
      • Kevin Macdonald
    • Writers
      • Peter Morgan(screenplay)
      • Jeremy Brock(screenplay)
      • Giles Foden(novel)
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      On the DVD director's commentary, Kevin Macdonald states that during filming of Idi Amin's visit to the village near the mission, many of the local extras thought it was the real Idi Amin on stage giving speeches.
    • Goofs
      Most shots of Entebbe Airport include a long line of African flags running alongside the terminal, between it and the runway. The line includes the flag of the rebel Republic of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), which neither Uganda, nor any other country, recognized.
    • Quotes

      Idi Amin: You are British?

      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.

    • Connections
      Edited from General Idi Amin Dada: A Self Portrait (1974)
    • Soundtracks
      Nakawunde
      Performed by Percussion Discussion Afrika

      Written by Mike Musoke and Herman Sewanyana

      Copyright Control

      Licensed courtesy of Percussion Discussion Afrika

    User reviews396

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    9/10
    A Hugely Exciting African-Set Thriller
    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
    helpful•184
    40
    • evanston_dad
    • Oct 21, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 19, 2007 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • Germany
    • Official site
      • Fox Searchlight
    • Languages
      • English
      • French
      • German
      • Swahili
    • Also known as
      • Vị Vua Cuối Cùng Của Scotland
    • Filming locations
      • Kampala, Uganda
    • Production companies
      • Searchlight Pictures
      • DNA Films
      • FilmFour
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $6,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $17,606,684
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $142,899
      • Oct 1, 2006
    • Gross worldwide
      • $48,618,191
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 3 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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