Recent Viewing (Match Point and The Last King of Scotland)

Match Point (Woody Allen, 2005) *** 1/2

Match Point is a gripping drama about infidelity and the importance of chance in our lives. This is a well constructed screenplay from Allen, as he takes a new direction toward the erotic melodrama. Chris Wilton (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), after starting a risky affair with his friend's ex-fiance (Scarlett Johansson), decides he must cover up the affair to maintain his standard of living amongst the London elite. The final third of the film is genuinely tense, but is let down overall by average unlikable performances from the two leads.

The Last King of Scotland (Kevin McDonald, 2006) ****

A completely absorbing historical drama propelled by a pair of fantastic performances from Academy Award winner Forrest Whitaker (as the barbaric Idi Amin) and James McAvoy (as a young doctor, Nicholas Garrigan). Garrigan volunteers his services in Uganda and eventually is adopted by Amin as his family's personal physician and political colleague. He soon learns that Amin's seemingly outgoing nature towards his people masks a sinister underbelly, and once he is implicated in his horrifying regime, Garrigan realizes he must escape. There are two of the most gut-wrenching sequences I have witnessed towards the conclusion, and while the structure of the film is a bit misguided at times, the history that it reveals is important for all audiences. Definitely recommended.