|
'The Last King of Scotland' is award worthy
"The Last King of Scotland" Running Time: 121 minutes MPAA rating: R
Director Kevin Macdonald has made a fantastic historical drama and character study with his film "The Last King of Scotland," the story of a young Scottish doctor who is taken under the wing of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin
Forest Whitaker).
The film takes place in 1970 at the beginning of Amin's reign. A naive, young doctor, Nicholas Garrigan (James McAvoy), travels to Uganda looking for adventure and to escape the prospect of working at a dull practice in Scotland with his father. He takes a job in a small village's clinic along with a British couple (Adam Kotz and the magnificent Gillian Anderson). Not long after his arrival, Garrigan has a chance meeting with Amin and is soon seduced by the dictator to become his personal physician -- a job that escalates in complexity, responsibility and danger.
"The Last King of Scotland" is beautifully photographed, and Macdonald keeps the story rolling at a breathy pace. But what really drives this film are the bravura performances by Forest Whitaker and James McAvoy.
Whitaker plays Amin with such passionate energy, he blows everyone off the screen - - except McAvoy. The chemistry between these two fine actors is electrifying.Watching the scene where Amin feigns vulnerability in order to enlist the doctor as his personal physician is an amazing performance, worthy of an Academy Award.
 | | Forest Whitaker, above, delivers an electrifying performance in "The Last King of Scotland" as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin. |
|
Then, as the film progresses, we see the doctor learning more and more about the atrocities committed by the dictator, and we see their relationship become more and more volatile.
"The Last King of Scotland" is a great film. I heartily recommend it.
GRADE: A (c) 2007 King Features Synd., Inc.
|
|
)
)