“Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” is a delightful comedy about love, life, faith and the courage to go against the flow. And the movie works because of the charm of the three leads: Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt and Kristin Scott Thomas. McGregor plays Dr. Fred Jones, a fish expert with Asperger’s whose marriage to Mary (Rachael Stirling) has grown stale. Blunt is Harriet Chetwode-Talbot, the British representative of a very rich sheik (Amr Waked) and the girlfriend of a British officer (Tom Mison) who has been declared MIA in Afghanistan. Scott Thomas is Bridget Maxwell, the P.M.’s publicity officer, who can turn any opportunity into a media event. Fred and Harriet are thrown together when they are recruited to work on the sheik’s dream project of importing salmon fishing to Yemen. Fred, while admitting it’s ‘theoretically’ possible, doesn’t really believe it can happen. Nevertheless, he is intrigued enough that he accepts project management for the massive £50-million endeavor. Along the way, Fred and Harriet fall I love, but, needless to say, their relationship is full of difficulties.
The film’s central relationship between the shy, awkward Fred and the optimistic Harriet is engaging and McGregor and Blunt make a most appealing couple. An added incentive is Kristin Scott Thomas, whose performance as a top-notch spin-doctor is pointedly on target and funny. Director Lasse Hallstrom balances both the dry logistics of getting salmon fishing to the Yemen as well as the emotional pull between Fred and Harriet. “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” will not disappoint. You’re sure to like it. 3/9/12
This was a fine motion picture. Well acted, well cast and well directed. I didn't read the book but I'd like to so I could compare. Go see this film, you will enjoy!
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