Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

What it's about:

When Britain's leading fisheries expert (Ewan McGregor) is approached by a consultant (Emily Blunt) to help realize a sheikh's (Amr Waked) vision of bringing the sport of fly-fishing to the desert, he immediately thinks the project is both absurd and unachievable.

But when the Prime Minister's overzealous press secretary (Kristin Scott Thomas) latches on to it as a "good will" story, this unlikely team will put it all on the line and embark on an upstream journey of faith and fish to prove the impossible, possible.


What the critics thought:

"While both Emily Blunt and Ewan McGregor are enormously appealing actors, [director Lasse] Hallström has made a movie that pretends it is something it's not - namely, an intelligent romantic comedy."
- John Anderson, Newsday


"Despite sporting the worst cinematic title since The Chumscrubber, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen hooks some charming laughs and a quaint romance by not delving too deeply into its subject matter."
- Scott Bowles, USA Today


"Somehow managing to be both twee and edgy, the absurdist but gently winning romantic comedy Salmon Fishing in the Yemen works a strange kind of wonder."
- Ann Hornaday, Washington Post