“The Last King of Scotland” (2006) is a biographical drama directed by Kevin Macdonald, starring Forest Whitaker as Ugandan dictator Idi Amin and James McAvoy as Nicholas Garrigan, a young Scottish doctor who becomes Amin’s personal physician. The film is set during the 1970s, during Amin’s brutal regime in Uganda.
Nicholas Garrigan arrives in Uganda after graduating from medical school, eager for adventure and to make a difference in the lives of those in need. When he meets Amin, he is initially charmed by the dictator’s charisma and promises of modernization.
However, as Garrigan becomes increasingly close to Amin, he witnesses the true extent of Amin’s brutal and oppressive rule, which includes violence, human rights abuses, and political purges.
As Garrigan becomes more entangled with Amin’s regime, he is forced to confront his own naivety and the terrifying reality of the situation. “The Last King of Scotland” explores themes of power, corruption, complicity, and the impact of colonialism on a newly independent nation. Forest Whitaker’s portrayal of Idi Amin earned him an Academy Award for Best Actor.
