15 Average Oscar Bait Films Elevated By Amazing Performances
12. The Last King Of Scotland
This historical thriller about a (fictional) Scottish doctor (James McAvoy) who becomes the physician of Idi Amin, an appallingly brutal dictator who ruled Uganda in the 1970s, is perfectly OK but given how interesting the subject matter is it should've been better. It never goes below the surface and is far too restrained in looking at the horrors of Idi Amin's regime, but it is nevertheless worth seeing for Forrest Whitaker's Oscar-winning performance as Amin alone.
Whitaker, complete with a highly convincing Ugandan accent, delivers a brilliant performance as one of the most unpleasant leaders in modern history. While he's terrifying and appropriately unhinged, he crucially always plays Idi Amin as a human being and not as a caricature, making for an exceptionally well-rounded performance.
It's a shame he wasn't given slightly better material, but Whitaker's performance is still an acting masterclass and out of the Best Actor Oscar winners of the 21st century so far, he definitely ranks among the best.