the movieGOOMBA

As first generation Filipina American, my parents always told stories of what it was like to live under a dictatorship. I'd hear stories of rigged elections, strange disappearances, convenient assassinations, and how bad it was to live in a country that you couldn't trust. Watching The Last King of Scotland reminded me of how lucky I am to be so sheltered from the oppression in this world, but other than this reminiscence, this movie was not anything special.

The Last King of Scotland is a fictitious story loosely based on the real life events of the brutal Idi Amin regime. Fresh out of med school and not yet wanting to deal with reality, Dr. Nicholas Garrigan ventures to Uganda to help support a struggling provincial clinic. Under an unusual chance of luck, President Amin takes a liking to him and offers him a position as his personal physician.

This movie was really able to portray the fear and agitation that I can only imagine was happening in Uganda at this time, not to mention Forest Whitacker's performance as, the likable one minute, savage the next, Idi Amin. He deserved every award he received for this role. He made flawless transitions in mood, and only after did I say "Dang, was Idi Amin bipolar?" However, other than these positive attributes, this movie had a lot of loose ends and some undeveloped cinematic style.

I don't know what the filmmakers were going for when they made Dr. Nicholas infatuated with the British wife's doctor and then infatuated with one of Amin's wives. And why did they decide to use some weird, jerky camera angles during seemingly random times in the film? I was also taken by the opening credits of this movie. It was so happy and carefree; very different for Dr. Nicholas' departure from Uganda. I understand that this distinction was Garrigan's "coming of age," slap of reality symbolism, but it was SO different. The opening credits almost seemed like it was suppose to set the tone for the entire movie, but of course, this movie was anything but happy-go-lucky.

Overall, this film was very interesting to watch. I struggle to not mention the fart scene, but how can I not? There are so many great parts to this movie, but at the same time, I don't think it was a work of art. The Last King of Scotland; not the drama I hoped it would be, but all the while, still a decent flick.