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Swedish director Lasse Hallström has made some beloved dramas (like The Cider House Rules or, my own personal favorite, Chocolat)—and he’s made a few forgettable films (like 2010’s Dear John), too. But, despite a few missteps along the way, the three-time Oscar nominee has the kind of reputation that will still compel movie lovers to stand in lines that are three blocks long, just to be among the first to see his latest film—just as they did at the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival for a screening of Hallström’s fishing romance, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen. And, thanks to a brief appearance by the admittedly hung-over director and his adorable cast—as well as the film’s laid-back (though unsurprising) story—the Sunday morning screening didn’t disappoint.
Salmon Fishing stars the always lovable Ewan McGregor as British fisheries expert Dr. Fred Jones. When he’s first contacted by Harriet Chetwode-Talbot (Emily Blunt) concerning a project to help her client, Arab sheik (Amr Waked), introduce salmon fishing in the Yemen, Fred refuses to take such a preposterous idea seriously—because, he tells her, it’s impossible. But, much to his dismay, the British government couldn’t care less about impossibilities.
With the war in Afghanistan raging on, the government is looking for some positive news from the Middle East. The sheik’s proposal seems like the perfect feel-good story, so the prime minister’s spokesperson, Bridget Maxwell (Kristin Scott Thomas), decides to make it happen—or else.
With his job on the line, Fred reluctantly begins work on his ridiculous new project—but, before long, it becomes much more than just another work assignment.
Of course, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen isn’t just about fishing. It’s an easy-going, crowd-pleasing mix of fishing drama, political satire, and romantic comedy, with a lovable star to help sell it. In fact (for better or for worse), it’s everything you’d expect it to be.
McGregor heads the cast as the delightfully prissy Dr. Jones, the uptight expert who’s alternately flustered, frustrated, and frank—and whose eye-rolling outbursts of sarcasm make for some of the film’s best moments. The rest of the cast, however, takes a back seat. Blunt is charming, but her character falls a bit flat. Kristin Scott Thomas, meanwhile, is sorely underused—as is her storyline, for that matter—though she’s still hilarious in her small role as the no-nonsense politician who will stop at nothing to spin the news in her boss’s favor.
As for the plot, there aren’t a whole lot of surprises here. The somewhat cluttered story fits all the standard formulas, with just the right touches of romance and humor. It’s all pretty typical—but, for the most part, it works.
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen isn’t a deep and powerful drama—and it isn’t one of Hallström’s best—but it’s at least a pleasantly predictable film. And, with its charming cast, its touches of natural serenity, and its uplifting story, it’s an enjoyable escape—the kind of movie that will help you take a load off your shoulders after another long, stressful week of work.
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