Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

Plot: Salomon Fishng in the Yemen is light drama or dry comedy about a silly venture to make a fly-fishing river in Yemen funded by an  oil sheik. Fishery expert Albert (Ewan McGregor) is brought in by Harriet (Emily Blunt) a cute British employee of the Sheik. Albert is convinced this will never work, but with lots of irony, British Prime Minister's press aid (Catherine Steadman) causes the project to go forward anyway. Soon Albert and Harriet are in Yemen getting to know each other, and developing love triangles.  link to imdb   Photos

Review: This is a pleasant movie with likable characters going through silly almost sit-com situations. It is helped by a British serious but absurd tone that includes defending against a terrorist attack by casting a fishing fly in the attacker's face.

Ewan McGregor plays his character realistically with suitable skepticism about such an outlandish scheme. The romance between Harriet and Albert is slow to develop, but of course inevitable.

I liked the political satire between the press secretary, the press and the prime minister.

We had to drive across town to the art theater to see this movie, and it was the best movie I have seen there lately. On the other hand, had the cast been American, I am sure it would have played at every multiplex, as it was not arty or daring or anything except pleasant.

Cast: Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, Catherine Steadman

Directed by: Lasse Hallstroem, Based on the novel by Paul Torday.

Rating:   2.5 stars: Good, but not fine cinema; Could this contend for a 3 stars? Not really.

More: Unlike the movie, there is not a lot of well water in Yemen, nor is there abundant seasonal rainfall for sport fishing. There is a fishing industry in the ocean however accounting for 1.5% of Yemeni GDP. 

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