Lachsfischen im Jemen (Salmon Fishing in the Yemen) 
U.K.
2011
Opening 17 May 2012
Directed by:
Lasse Hallström
Writing credits:
Simon Beaufoy, Paul Torday
Principal actors:
Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, Amr Waked, Kristin Scott Thomas, Catherine Steadman
A sheik (Amr Waked) wants to establish fly-fishing in his desert homeland. ‘Small’ problem: there are neither salmon nor oxygen-rich rivers. Investment-consultant Harriet (Emily Blunt) has been hired to make it happen. Price is no object – still she has been turned down by Scottish fishery-expert Alfred Jones (Ewan McGregor). Of all people the press secretary to the British Prime Minister (Kristin Scott Thomas) will come to the rescue of this ambitious plan. She needs a good-news story from the Middle East to divert attention from problems in Afghanistan and won’t give the pros – namely Mr. Jones – much of a choice but to work on it.
This romantic comedy by Lasse Hallström (from a best seller by Paul Torday) starts promising and funny but unfortunately loses steam soon. It doesn’t help either that humor stays behind in Scotland when the set is moved to Yemen and the sheik remains a goody-two-shoes bore. (Carola A)
