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The Last King of Scotland
Available in HDUS ↗CAST & DIRECTOR
Directed by Kevin Macdonald. With Forest Whitaker, James McAvoy, Simon McBurney.
74.1/100
TMDB RATINGWHAT IT'S ABOUT
Young Scottish doctor, Nicholas Garrigan decides it's time for an adventure after he finishes his formal education, so he decides to try his luck in Uganda, and arrives during the downfall of President Obote. General Idi Amin comes to power and asks Garrigan to become his personal doctor.
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74.1/100
TMDB RATINGYOUR WATCHLISTYoung Scottish doctor, Nicholas Garrigan decides it's time for an adventure after he finishes his formal education, so he decides to try his luck in Uganda, and arrive…
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RELEASE SNAPSHOT
Release snapshot for The Last King of Scotland.
MoviHero lists September 27, 2006 as the release date for The Last King of Scotland. Kevin Macdonald is the listed director. The listed cast includes Forest Whitaker as Idi Amin, James McAvoy as Dr. Nicholas Garrigan, Simon McBurney as British Diplomat, Gillian Anderson as Sarah Merrit. A trailer and 5 stills are available on this page.
Release dateSeptember 27, 2006
GenresDrama
Runtime2h 3m
DirectorKevin Macdonald
CastForest Whitaker as Idi Amin, James McAvoy as Dr. Nicholas Garrigan, Simon McBurney as British Diplomat, Gillian Anderson as Sarah Merrit
TrailerAvailable on this page
Images5 stills
BEFORE YOU PRESS PLAY
Is The Last King of Scotland right for tonight?
Pacing, attention and emotional impact are estimates from the current MoviHero Watch Profile, not verified scene-by-scene reviews.
How much time should I set aside?
The Last King of Scotland runs 2h 3m. Allow extra time for breaks.
Is it slow or fast?
The current MoviHero pacing estimate is 4/10: a more patient pace.
Is it a good choice when I am tired?
The attention estimate is 5/10. Expect to follow the story rather than use it as background viewing.
How emotionally intense is it?
The emotional-impact estimate is 5/10, suggesting a moderate emotional load. This does not tell you whether the ending is happy or sad.
CHANGE ONE THING
Like this, but...
These share a listed genre with The Last King of Scotland. Profile differences are estimates, not a guarantee of the same story or mood.
RATING & SOURCE
TMDB audience rating
TMDB: 74.1/100 (7.407/10) from 2,496 votes. Updated Oct 26, 2026.
External ratings are converted directly to /100. We add no popularity, metadata or Watch Profile bonuses. MoviHero audience ratings are calculated separately from numerical ratings submitted here.
MOVIHERO AUDIENCE RATING
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Your movie rating. Your audience score.
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Available quality United States
Checked Oct 24, 2026. Quality can depend on your plan and device. HD does not necessarily mean 1080p.
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WHAT WATCHING IT FEELS LIKE
Watch Profile
Seven estimates of the viewing experience, based on the stored Watch Profile. These are separate from the movie rating and are not verified scene-by-scene assessments.
Pacing4/10
Emotional Impact5/10
Mind-Bending2/10
Scary1/10
Violence5/10
Rewatchability5/10
Attention Required5/10
OTHER PERSPECTIVES
What people think.
Selected viewer reactions, in their own words. These excerpts reflect individual opinions, not an overall verdict.
Viewer reaction
“I am the father of Africa. Based on Giles Foden's novel of the same name, this filmic version of a period of Idi Amin's presidency…”
Viewer reaction
“According to Wikiquote, a “British official” once said that Idi Amin needed “things explained in words of one letter.” It is one of The Last…”
Viewer reaction
“It’s a very intense film. Forest Whitaker’s performance as Idi Amin is absolutely incredible—no surprise there since he’s one of my favorite actors. He completely…”
Excerpts from TMDB user reviews. Read each full review at its source.
WATCH A PREVIEW
Trailer
A CLOSER LOOK
Stay with the image.
CAST & CREW
The people who make it land.
Kevin MacdonaldDirector
Jeremy BrockWriter
Peter MorganWriter
Andrea CalderwoodProducer
Forest WhitakerIdi Amin
James McAvoyDr. Nicholas Garrigan
Simon McBurneyBritish Diplomat
Gillian AndersonSarah Merrit
Kerry WashingtonKay Amin
David OyelowoDr. Thomas Junju
Abby Mukiibi NkaagaMasanga
Adam KotzDr. David Merrit
CHARACTERS IN THIS MOVIE
Follow the character.
Reviewed MoviHero character guides connected to this movie.
otherDr. Nicholas GarriganDr. Nicholas Garrigan appears in The Last King of Scotland (2006).Open character guide otherBritish DiplomatBritish Diplomat appears in The Last King of Scotland (2006).Open character guide otherSarah MerritSarah Merrit appears in The Last King of Scotland (2006).Open character guide otherKay AminKay Amin appears in The Last King of Scotland (2006).Open character guide otherIdi AminIdi Amin appears in The Last King of Scotland (2006).Open character guide
SIMILAR GENRES & STORY THEMES
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MOVIHERO ESTIMATESelvi
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