Review of Salmon Fishing in the Yemen (2012) by Doug B — 13 Feb 2013

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen is a smart comedy with a bit of silly comedy residue stuck to it from what I assume was an earlier draft of the script. Gags like Dr. Jones (Ewan McGregor) walking into the glass door felt out of place, in what is at heart a quick witted comedy with an interesting premise. It's one of those "so crazy it just might work" ideas that makes you wonder if the film is based on a true story. It's not though, it's based on a novel.

I was really happy with the way the film dealt with the Jones' marriage. There's an undercurrent of formality and discontent, but it's given a very light touch, getting the dramatic point across without disrupting the comedic feel of the film. Very classy. But that same deft touch is thrown out the window when it comes to Harriet's (Emily Blunt) boyfriend. Their relationship arc drops like a bomb into the film, changing it into a drama. And it wasn't the only element that disrupted the film.

The drama is a problem at the end as well. The incident in question is heavy handed and even results in a few deaths, adding a sad element to the whole thing. It brings an element of tragedy to the story that bogs it down. I was surprised how it was handled, especially because the film handles similar dramatic scene earlier, with a more comedic touch.

Dr. Jones is a great character, very formal and proper to a fault at times. He has a socially awkward stiffness, but in a good way, like Adrian Monk, or Sheldon Cooper. And there is great cheek in his dry wit. When Dr. Jones and the Sheikh are fishing, it allows the movie to breathe, and it feels as if we're in another world. In fact, their comradery was so strong, I wish they had more scenes together. Kristin Scott Thomas is really funny as the public relations officer. Some of her interactions are done through email and chat window exchanges and it works effectively and with a sense of style without being cutesy and drawing attention to itself.

Even with my resistance to the dramatic elements, Salmon Fishing in the Yemen is a lot of fun, and the project the plot hinges on is really interesting and well thought out...so much so that I've added the book to my queue.