Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2011)
Certified: PG
Duration: 107 minutes
Directed by: Lasse Hallström
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, Kristin Scott Thomas, Amr Waked, Rachael Sterling, Tom Mison
KRS release

The interestingly titled Salmon Fishing in Yemen is a mix of drama, romantic comedy, satire and political commentary.

The press secretary of Britian’s PM, Bridget Maxwell (Kristin Scott Thomas), needs a very positive and uplifting story as the masses need some distraction.

She finds a very unusual one: Sheik Muhammed (Amr Waked) is passionate about fly fishing and wants to bring the sport to Yemen.

Seeing the amount of fishermen in the UK, Bridget believes that if the British government gets involved, this would provide a “good will” story.

This leads to the teaming up of the sheik’s investment expert Harriet Chetwode-Talbot (Emily Blunt) and government fisheries consultant Fred Jones (Ewan McGregor).

Fred, whose wife is away on business, believes that the idea is not very easy to pull off: Yemen is a very hot place and salmon love cold water.

However, the sheik’s intention is to cultivate the salmon in his artificial lake and Fred unwillingly ends up joining the cause.

Meanwhile, Harriet’s military captain boyfriend is missing in action. Things get complicated for the project when Fred develops feelings for Harriet.

The film’s script by Simon Beaufoy (The Full Monty, Slumdog Millionaire, 127 Hours) flits from one theme to another and, in Mr McGregor’s spritely characterisation, finds the perfect figure to bring out its charm and spark. It is very difficult not to side with his characater, Fred Jones, in all his quests: romantic or otherwise.

Director Lasse Hallström has brought together a strong cast.

Emily Blunt helps the cause in no little way. She is a feisty actress who leaves her mark on the film.

Amr Waked also provides a very strong characterisation as the sheik with aspirations.

Terry Stacey’s cinematography is rich, intensifying the film’s multi-cultural theme.

The pace is kept steady and fast and the humour is very British in its tone.

The film is replete in its symbolism about marriage, life in general, the Western world and man’s role in the universe.

This is very much evidenced in the salmon’s behaviour itself which represents some of the film’s underlying themes.

It is all about following one’s path that needs not necessarily be the easy one. It is all about having vision and, however crazy, going forward with that vision.

In the end, it is all about taking chances.