The Last King of Scotland: Forest Whitaker, the Oscar Shoo-In

I was unsure which trailer to post today until I saw that The Last King of Scotland is opening nationwide on Friday. Like many Oscar contenders, the movie had a limited release in 2006. Now that Forest Whitaker is winning every Best Actor award in sight, Fox Searchlight is wisely expanding the movie nationwide.

One look at the trailer and you’ll see why Whitaker’s performance has been so acclaimed. He disappears into the role, without needing make-up or a drastic weight change. His droopy eyelid (he told Esquire he could have it fixed, but he chooses not to) makes him look truly evil in the role, and therefore perfectly cast. Oscar voters love accents and portrayals of real people; this performance has both.

Even without all the accolades for Forest Whitaker, The Last King of Scotland gets my vote to SEE IT. It is a compelling story based on true events in Uganda, and James McAvoy and Kerry Washington look like they turned in some pretty impressive performances of their own.

The Last King of Scotland is rated R and opens nationwide on Friday, January 19. (Official site)