Salmon fishing is just the objective correlative of an undeniably ethereal truth: dreams. We all need dreams to make our lives move on. And we all need faith and hard work to accomplish and achieve them. "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen" is a British movie - starring Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, Amr Waked and Kristin Scott Thomas, with Hugh Simon (Malcom in Spooks) in a minor hilarious role - which tries to bring all that on the screen disguised as a modern fairy-tale romance.
Swedish director Lasse Hallström tries to convey the unbelievable through cunny British humour: you smile at the absurdity of the situations and accept them as feasible, you might even like them. A fisheries expert (Ewan McGregor) is approached by a consultant (Emily Blunt) to help realize a sheik's (Amr Waked) vision of bringing the sport of fly-fishing to the desert and embarks on an upstream journey of faith and fish to prove the impossible possible. When it becomes a government-backed scheme, wheels greased by the prime minister’s shark-like press secretary
Patricia Maxwell (Kristin Scott Thomas), who is desperate to turn the sheikh’s utopian plan into a positive Middle East news story, even skeptical expert Mr Jones (McGregor) starts believing in the project ... Watch a scene from the movie
Simon Beaufoy 's screenplay, from a novel by Paul Torday , plays on the feeling of going against the flow, with hints to contemporary politics and everything wrapped up with love and romance in stunning locations (Scotland and Morocco).
It was a weekend of good watchings and re-watchings this one, full of romance and tenderness: Notting Hill, Sense and Sensibility, a few episodes from Poldark series 2 (almost finished!) and, last but not least, this new movie at the cinema (in Italian theatres since May 18). It won't end up kept among my unforgettable but it is a good-feel very-British comedy and I liked it.
13 comments:
That's an excellent summary / review of the movie. I went to see it yesterday and really enjoyed it. Good acting all around, wonderful scenery, love, romance and comedy. Probably not THE movie of 2012 but definitely worth watching.
@Suse
I see we agree on every front :-)
Thanks for visiting and commenting!
Anything that is 'feel good', good English cast, stunning locations, and harks back to a quirky book sounds like a must see.
Anything that is 'feel good', good English cast, stunning locations, and harks back to a quirky book sounds like a must see.
@mesmered
A couple of hours of "everything's possible" can really help from time to time. Thanks for your comment, Prue!
OK, we both know this kind of movies is not my cup of tea, but if Malcolm is in it, I think I will give it a go :)
x K/V
@K/V
You'll have to wait for the end of the movie for a glimpse of Malcom. Ehm ...I really doubt you will be able to stand being sitting silently and patiently till then. I hope you can hold on!
Thanks for your visit and for finding the time to comment :-)
Delurking after following your lovely, heartwarming blog for months.
I don't think I had quite realised how strong the romantic element is in this film (that is a recommendation to me). Do you know if the novel differs much on this point? For some reason I have an impression that the book is sadder or darker than the film appears to be.
This was already on my "to see" list, and the fact that Ewan McGregor's in it might have its weight ... ;-)
@Danielle
You're welcome any time you have something to say, Danielle. And, BTW, you have an amazing blog too!
I can't tell you much about the book since I haven't read it. I just read that it is an epistolary novel and that many changes were needed to make it a movie.
@Vava
I don't know how much you may like McGregor in this role, not a dashing hero but ... good performance. I won't say much more, don't want to give away too many spoilers.
Thanks to both for dropping by, reading and commenting :-)
As a fan of Kristin Scott Thomas, I went to see this as soon as it was released here. A well-meaning theme and optimistic ending. Don't we all need that? There are two 'cross-cultural' British films screening in our city (in Canada) right now. I've really enjoyed The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel... maybe even more than Salmon Fishing. ;)
@Arti
I have Marigold Hotel on my TBW list. I hope I can see it before it disappears from our theatre here in Italy.
Thanks for stopping by and leaving your comment Arti.
If it had me been my choice, never pick this movie. Because I thought it was one of those second-reading-mystical movies... But then again, you should never judge a book by the cover, right? So my BF wanted to watch it.
I didn't even know Ewan was in it so imagine my face when I saw good old Malcom.
It was a nice optimistic movie and a very cute love story. As you said, probably not one of the best of the year but you leave the cinema with such a good feeling.
Kristin Scott Thomas was brilliant and the Sheik... OMG!!! LOL.
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