Plot
Based on the events of the brutal Ugandan dictator Idi Amin's regime as seen by his personal physician during the 1970s
Release Year: 2006
Rating: 7.8/10 (75,991 voted)
Critic's Score: 74/100
Director:
Kevin Macdonald
Stars: James McAvoy, Forest Whitaker, Gillian Anderson
Storyline In 1970, the just-graduated doctor Nicholas Garrigan moves to Uganda to get rid of his conservative father. While working in a mission in the country, he meets the new President Idi Amin after the coup-d'é-tat that overthrow the former government. He is invited to become his personal physician in Kampala and along the years he sees how despotic his friend is.
Writers: Peter Morgan, Jeremy Brock
Cast: Forest Whitaker
-
Idi Amin
James McAvoy
-
Dr. Nicholas Garrigan
Kerry Washington
-
Kay Amin
Gillian Anderson
-
Sarah Merrit
Simon McBurney
-
Stone
David Oyelowo
-
Dr. Junju
Stephen Rwangyezi
-
Jonah Wasswa
Abby Mukiibi Nkaaga
-
Masanga
(as Abby Mukiibi)
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
Opening Weekend: $142,899
(USA)
(1 October 2006)
(4 Screens)
Gross: $17,605,861
(USA)
(20 May 2007)
Technical Specs
Runtime:|
USA:
|
Canada:
(Toronto International Film Festival)
Did You Know?
Trivia:
The movie was based on the book by Giles Foden, who also cameos as a British Journalist at the press conference held by Amin.
Goofs:
Factual errors:
At Entebbe Airport, there is a long line of African flags running alongside the terminal between it and the runway. It is visible in a number of shots. Among the flags we can clearly see the flag of the rebel Republic of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe), which neither Uganda, nor any other country, recognized.
Quotes:
[first lines]
Nicholas Garrigan:
Come on! Are youse ready?
User Review
Basically this is excellent historical fiction about the torturous Idi Amin
Rating: 9/10
There have been so few pictures this year that are standouts. This
movie is one of them. Much of what you will see is true, and did occur
in Uganda's history. Amin's doctor, played by James Macavoy, is the
main fiction in the movie, but one would think they are watching a
historical event. Macavoy's character is so real. The doctor grows from
a free thinking, adventure loving, womanizer, to a scared, concerned,
and enlightened person. The viewer watches through Macavoys eyes as he
witnesses the horrors of Amin's (Forest Whitaker's) presidency and
regime.
Forest Whitaker, IS Amin in this feature. Whitaker is not the silent
sometimes brooding character you remember in other films he has been
in. His accent,his face, and his emotions seem to no longer be
Whitaker's but Amin's. This movie will scare the viewer because of its
realism, and how it builds up to a tension that is hard to endure. The
visuals are not for the squeamish. Go ahead and hide your eyes during
the "tough" scenes. It is still worth seeing this movie for the fast
paced story, realistic drama, fascinating tale, and for the
unbelievable acting. By the end of the movie the audience is exhausted,
but satisfied that they saw a worthy flick.
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