I went to see The Last King of Scotland Friday night, and damn, what a great movie--I think I held my breath for the last 30 minutes.
I'd seen General Idi Amin Dada, the 1974 documentary about the blood-thirsty Ugandan dictator, and Forest Whitaker completely embodies him--much the way Helen Mirren had me convinced she was The Queen.
I'm was a little disappointed to learn that our guide through this account, the magnetic Scottish doctor Nick Garrigan (played by James McAvoy), is a completely fictional character. But they way he is used is genius. His intoxication with exotic Africa, with the benefits that come with being Idi Amin's personal physician and "closest personal adviser," lead us to forgive Amin's excesses for too long. And soon it is too late.
Speaking of dictators, this week's Parade magazine counts down the top 10 living dictators.
