Salmon Fishing in the Yemen
2011
**½
Director: Lasse Hallström
Cast: Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, Kristin Scott Thomas, Amr Waked; Rachael Stirling, Catherine Steadman, Tom Mison
When the Prime minister's press secretary, who is desperate for some positive news about the Middle East, learns that a wealthy sheikh wants to introduce salmon into the Yemen, she pressures a Scottish fisheries specialist to consult on the matter. The stern academic, whose marriage has gone stale, slowly begins to warm up to this insane project and to the sheikh's pretty advisor. Lasse Hallström's adaptation of Paul Torday's novel is a cross between a toothless political satire and a fluffy romantic comedy. Despite the outlandish premise and promising start, it doesn't take long before the film turns into a formulaic and tiresome wish fulfilment fantasy. Its views on international politics, salmon fishing, romance and Islam are all equally implausible. Ewan McGregor, who gets to use a more natural accent for a change, and Emily Blunt are quite likeable, but Kristin Scott Thomas, as the cartoonish press secretary, gives a performance to forget.
