About halfway through just saying the lengthy title and it becomes clear Salmon Fishing in the Yemen isn't going to be your typical romantic comedy. Can it even be called a romantic comedy? There is a central love story, but it's mostly between an eccentric, visionary Sheik(Amr Waked) and his love of fly fishing. So much so that he hatches a screwball plan to bring it to the desert highlands of Yemen. His reasons are grandiose and noble, even if the reality of it borders on impossibility. Doesn't really sound like something to take your girlfriend to on date night, does it? Are we sure this isn't some Werner Herzog documentary or something?
Balancing a healthy dose of quirky romance with a touch of political gamesmanship, director Lasse Hallstrom(Chocolat) trims down the disparate elements of Paul Torday's novel into a film that only manages to succeed on the strength of its amazing leads. Ewan McGregor buttons up his natural charm as Dr. Alfred Jones, a dull, married fisheries expert with an inflated sense of his unimportant government job becomes embroiled in the Sheik's ridiculous plot by a publicity seeking press secretary(Kristin Scott Thomas) for the British Prime Minister. Unhappy at home with a loveless marriage, and now forced into a job he doesn't care for, Alfred has little reason placate the sheik's chosen representative, the optimistic Harriet(Emily Blunt), who has a mouthful of a last name that becomes a running joke unto itself. Suffering as her new boyfriend was recently called to fight in Iraq, she is thrown into her work as a means of coping.
Lacking any sort of narrative momentum, the film isn't helped by an uneven script by the usually reliable Simon Beaufoy(Slumdog Millionaire). The very niche hobby of fly fishing isn't all that exciting on its own, in fact the very point of it seems to be the opposite of that. So you can imagine how engrossing it is to listen to McGregor discussing the different varieties of fishing lures, or if salmon taken from captivity will travel in the right direction. A missed opportunity was had with Thomas's character, as she steals the show when on screen with her boorish, invasive attitude. The film often veers into darker territory than such a light and airy comedy was built to handle, especially as the Sheik's own followers violently reject his plans to transform their homeland. The Sheik's reliance on faith to carry him through the difficult project is met with philosophical resistance by Alfred, a man of pure science. Their debates are brief, but provide some of the film's best moments of insight.
It's the awkward, budding relationship between Alfred and Harriet that keeps the film afloat, as McGregor and Blunt have a chemistry together that is obvious even if their characters aren't that interesting individually. Starting out a bit chilly with Alfred's stuffy demeanor, they slowly build a bond through the improbability of their task, and the desire to see the Sheik's dream of achieving international harmony. As their familiarity with one another grows, and Alfred stops acting like a stuffed shirt, the two become a joy to watch. Amr Waked, one of the biggest stars in all of Egypt who recently appeared in Steven Soderbergh's Contagion, makes for an impressive and charismatic presence.
The disparate plot elements never quite coalesce into a satisfying whole, even as McGregor and Blunt prove to be irresistible. While not a complete success, there's something to be said about a film that dares to swim against the tide.
