Review of The Last King of Scotland (2006) by Steve C — 19 Jan 2014

Forest Whitaker's performance here is truly all it's cracked up to me, and he masters the bipolar switches from terrifying to charming that dictators like Amin are often known for. And as regards the story, it's a bit predictable, but the plot keeps twisting and the action is generally steady, the stakes always high; the point of view of the outsider who's been let in (Amin's personal doctor, played by James McAvoy) is a great one from which to tell the story.

Fine, competent film-making, but elevated to rarefied air by the quality of the leading man's performance; Whitaker puts what could be a ho-hum movie on his back and carries it. Great stuff.