A Wadi Runs Through It - Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

My husband is a fly-fishing fanatic, and I love all things Arabian. So it seemed an easy choice to head to our local theater for a showing of "Salmon Fishing in the Yemen."  According to this review in the New York Times, the book by Paul Torday morphed from political satire to romantic comedy on the screen. And I think it worked as such. It was a little like "Love, Actually" in that sense.

A visionary billionaire shaikh from Yemen, who also has several estates in Scotland and loves to fly-fish for salmon, looks for technical help in the UK to build a salmon fishery in the hills of Yemen. He finds an uptight nerdy fisheries expert (played by Ewen McGregor) via his private banker Harriet (the lovely Emily Blunt). Amr Waked does a great job in the role as the Shaikh. However, Kristin Scott Thomas adds much needed zing to push the improbable plot further into the realm of satire as she plays the role of Patricia Maxwell, the British PM's head of press relations.

Despite the fact that I would have loved any Arab music themes - and as far as I could tell there were absolutely none - I did enjoy the film.

As the credits ran, my husband turned to me and said, "I'm haunted by wadi's," butchering the last sentence of his favorite book A River Runs Through It, which is 'I am haunted by waters." Apologies to Norman Maclean fans.

On the way home, my husband said, "Thanks for going to a fishing movie with me." I responded, "Thanks for going to an Arabian movie with me."  For us, it was a perfect movie date.