Salmon Fishing in the Yemen

Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt and Kristin Scott Thomas star in this adaptation of Paul Torday's eccentric novel for Swedish director Lasse Hallström (What's Eating Gilbert Grape, The Cider House Rules, Chocolat). McGregor plays a fisheries expert hired by a billionaire sheik to bring fly-fishing to the Middle Eastern desert. While battling bureaucracy, Muslim-fearing capitalists and the sheer lunacy of the plan, our protagonist still finds time to fall in love with a pretty PR consultant. Improbable but endearing. 111 minutes PG-13.