Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

[a_person]

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Directed by Lasse Hallström
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt and Amr Waked

Plot: A fisheries expert is approached by a consultant to help realize a sheik's 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.

IMDB

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[superhero]

This seems like a good idea for a holiday

[Sunny Saver]

Saw this at Vue Islington, where we were asked for our Times' cards.

I thought it was a really lovely sweet film. Funny and touching in parts.

As a family, I think we give it 7.5/10. It would have been an 8/10, but OH gave it a 7, which is high for him.

Nice to see MariaLionza, Beate and OH, and especially nice to meet Cinefila for the first time.

[alythonian]

Edinburgh was cancelled - rescheduled for 17th.

[valda]

I was at a packed Shepherds Bush with MrG. I liked this film. It was gentle and quirky and I found myself really rooting for it to succeed.

There was only one thing that was a bit dumb [spoiler]Harriet and the soldier. They were only dating for a couple of weeks, hardly enough time to be called girlfriend and boyfriend, let alone descending into the depths of despair when he went missing[/spoiler]

8/10

Poor Mrg set off for his run afterwards, and it started tipping down with rain

[cinefila1]

Despite the unpromising title, I thought this was a very charming and delightful movie. It was perfectly paced with a quirky sense of humour, mostly provided by Kristin Scott Thomas (terrific in her character as the bitchy Prime Minister’s Press Officer) and Ewan McGregor’s eccentricities. Never been a great fan of McGregor but I must say that since Beginners I am beginning to like him more and more.

Great to see Mario Lanza, Beate and OH and meet another lovely FMUker, Sunny Saver!

[redgrant]

A lovely little gem. After the last film I saw with him (Perfect Sense, a big disappointment), Ewan McGregor is great as the socially awkward, emotionally starved, fisheries expert who slowly comes out of his shell. While Emily Blunt is good, Kristin Scott Thomas nails the humour as the bloody-minded PM's Press Secretary. Recommended.

[TheyCallMeMrGlass]

Poor Mrg set off for his run afterwards, and it started tipping down with rain

I know! But I had my hoodie though :) I admit it did get to a point during the downpour where I asked myself "why am I doing this?" but I gritted it out all the way home, though.

Well this was a most charming and whimsical film fuelled with very sharp and witty dialogue. Forget the fishing, Yemen, and Sheik synopsis, that's just an amusing backdrop for what is essentially a gentle romantic comedy. McGregor carries the whole film here with a wonderful performance as a naive, stubborn but vulnerable fish expert. Although it is Kristin Scott Thomas who chews up every scene she is in playing a ferociously manipulative spin doctor. The Sheik wasnt very convincing to me though, he looked like a cockney Londoner working undercover for the News of the World.

The plot development may have a few obvious plot turns that are even a little contrived (one of which Valda points out above) but they serve to keep us engaged with our charming protagonists' attempts to tackle their situations. Although this is not in any way an action film, there is an action scene in here that I have to put in my top 10 most unique action sequences ever, it was simple, basic, cool, yet so ridiculous and involves a fishing rod. Love it.

This feels like a vintage British comedy along the lines of Hugh Grant's earlier successes such as Four Weddings but I think this has far more wit and has the potential to be a sleeper hit in America if it manges to swim across that bigger fish pond.

8/10

[Beate]

I liked this but thought the romance wasn't too convincing and the whole premise of the movie a bit far fetched. It veered from wild comedy to tragedy in a moment (soldier missing in action, sheikh being shot at), so was a bit uneven. The highlight for me was Kristin Scott Thomas, she was simply marvellous and I didn't know how funny she could be as she usually only does weighty, tragic roles.

7/10

[SteveDan]

Looking forward to seeing this - just secured Westfield Startford City

Looking forward to seeing this at Westfield Stratford - just secured 2 for the 16th