Sometimes the craziest projects can be done. If you combine Western rationality, Eastern faith and unshakable calm, even salmon in Yemen understand that it needs to spawn - because it is so necessary for three people - the Sheikh-philosopher, and in love Dr. Johnson and Harriet. In the process, politicians engage in their machinations - everyone does what he does best.
If it's not about fishing or salmon, what is it about? A little bit about love, about the midlife crisis, about personal beliefs, about principles, and more importantly, he answers the question, "What do religion, faith and science have in common?" For an ordinary lover of romantic comedies will sound rather boring, but it is very fascinating.
So, the plot is built around Dr. Alfred Jones, who one day receives an offer to raise salmon in Yemen to fish. Obviously, the idea seems absurd to him, but due to certain circumstances he has to go for it. This is how he develops a friendship with the Sheikh's assistant, Harriet. Together they try to implement the project in every way. It is worth noting that this is not an ordinary romantic comedy: we are shown how much politics has penetrated into various spheres of life. Here is a treasure trove of information about how politicians skillfully control the media, deftly hiding serious problems behind the curtain of news that has nothing to do with them, how they manage to play on people’s feelings, expose them to the public for profit. What, you ask, is the benefit? This film has an impact on the public. What they need in a particular situation. Conclusion: Don't believe politicians.
To be honest, I like such a romantic comedy much more than the ones that are stamped in Hollywood. The first difference is that I did not find a single joke below the waist, but the film is very funny: the dialogues of the main characters cause a smile. Ewan McGregor’s face is created to exude kindness and sympathy, and Emily Blunt is represented in all its softness, sophistication and beauty. I suddenly enjoyed watching their tandem. Not a single kiss between the main characters - for a minute - in the melodrama. We were served "warm sandwiches" with the aftertaste of kisses. One of the most charming and romantic scenes - and no more. It is such scenes that cause sincere emotions - the rest of the directors would soon come to this.
The Sheikh is a unique character. Thinking and thinking about an important millionaire leads Dr. Jones to the idea that religion and faith are very similar concepts, but not synonymous, that faith and science not only can, but also go side by side, and this breaks all the familiar concepts of the antagonism of religion and science.
Amazing.
And, of course, all purposeful people are dedicated:
"I'm staying." I want to do it again. I can handle it myself if I have to. I'm going to start slowly and this time I'm going to do it differently.
Believe in what you're doing. Don't stray from your path. And opponents will always be - and sometimes we do not need to prove anything to them.
Think about the beautiful landscapes of Scotland.
You cannot catch faith with the help of a fishing rod. ?
If we take into account the star “brand” names of the creators of the film “My Dream Fish” (the same name from the original translates “Salmon Fishing in Yemen”, which corresponds to the novel of the same name by Paul Torday, based on which the film was shot), then the sophisticated viewer will pay attention not to the actors, although the main roles were played by Evan McGregor, Emily Blunt and Christine Scott Thomas, and, first of all, will be interested in Swedish director Lasse Hallström. The former clipmaker, who worked even with the mega-popular group ABBA, has long become a respected and authoritative expat in Hollywood. He was especially famous for the films What Eats Gilbert Grape?, Chocolate, Hachiko: The Most Faithful Friend and a number of others, thanks to which Hallström became one of the best directors-playwrights of our time.
Therefore, from the “Fish of my dreams” the viewer had the right to expect a worthy deep dramaturgy. Synopsis of the plot is that exemplary Professor Alfred Jones (McGregor) receives an unexpected offer from one of the Yemeni sheikhs who wants to launch salmon in the waters of his country. The suggestion to Jones initially seems strange and even absurd. To do this, it is necessary not only to spend a lot of money (of which the sheikh actually has plenty), but also to make incredible efforts. As the saying goes, “These things cannot be solved.” Jones even decides to mock the odiousness of the sheikh, demanding incomprehensible resources. To his surprise, these resources are being provided. Largely thanks to the girl Garriet (Blunt), embodying the sheikh’s plan in life, thanks to her efficiency, knowledge and talent to negotiate, the sheikh’s plan moved from a deadlock. In addition, Dr. Jones, who initially abandoned the idea of fishing in Yemen, is under pressure from the government apparatus, which found the idea extremely beneficial in attracting new votes for the incumbent Prime Minister’s party.
But, unfortunately, knowing the potential and abilities of Lasse Hallström, “Fish of My Dreams” is not the best film of the director, and in general it does not belong to the best in his biography. The creators of the film decided that it was necessary to smooth out the political background in the plot, noticeably erasing many accentuating moments from a political point of view. Because of this, the picture “Fish of My Dreams” did not become a drama, but thanks to this genre, Hallstrom became famous and so popular, but rather a melodrama, and quite smooth, if not straightforward. Storylines such as Blunt’s boyfriend’s service and the discontent of certain Yemenis with the Sheikh’s policies are all but omitted, and we see only the work of Dr. Jones, who later became obsessed with the incredible design of fishing in the eastern country, as well as their strong friendship with Garriet. However, this does not mean that such a course of action is some kind of stupid or crooked, it is only that Hallstrom is capable of more, and the book tells about more than it is demonstrated in its adaptation.
If we talk about the actors, they also fulfilled their task, perhaps without much chic and brilliance (although McGregor and Blunt were nominated for the Golden Globe for best male and female role, respectively), but not bad enough. McGregor once again clearly proved that he is one of the most stable actors of our time and few can reproach him for the failure of this or that role. A kind scientist, an avid fisherman turned out to be an expressive and very "warm" hero. But McGregor was a little unlucky that he had to cooperate on the set with Emily Blunt - this actress has always played with some expressiveness, so the emotional character of Blunt is still more memorable than the restrained Dr. Jones. Christine Scott Thomas was literally born to embody the image of a real Englishwoman and a firm, confident woman. No one would have played her role in My Dream Fish like Christine Scott Thomas. It is only a pity that because of the script, the influence of her heroine on the plot has seriously diminished. And I'll mention the Egyptian Amr Vaked, who plays the sheikh. He doesn’t have much time, but each time it was a memorable moment.
The film "Fish of my dreams" is unlikely to cause any special emotions, because of which it will want to watch again and again, but still it is quite kind and some kind of soulful, you can say that even pretty, and even in its predictability there is a kind of "highlight". And there are even grains of philosophy in it that tell us that sometimes you shouldn’t be afraid of the strangest and even absurd propositions, because they can become the goal of your life, and perhaps even of your life itself. And I think that the following assessment of the "Fish of my dreams" will be the most optimal:
7 out of 10
In this case, our localizers would like to tear off their hands for trying to catch a hype on a famous meme, since the original name is Salmon Fishing In the Yemen. I recommend watching in advance in the original voiceover with original subtitles. The film is a mixture of melodrama and comedy and many intonations in the speech of the actors are an important part of the film, which, of course, is very difficult to convey when dubbing.
Dr. Alfred Jones (Ewan McGregor) of the London Fisheries Centre receives a strange proposal from a mysterious sheikh: to introduce a salmon fishing competition in Yemen. Dr Jones refuses, but the scientifically absurd project catches the eye of British politicians, who see the Sheikh's proposal as almost limitless. "
To begin with, I have a very warm attitude towards English cinema in general. Magnificent witty humor, beautiful, not boring actors, often raised social themes in the paintings. There is plenty of that here.
Speaking about the actors, I would like to immediately note the beautiful performance of Emily Blunt and Ewan McGregor, who very subtly and accurately convey the characters of their characters. They are a delight to see and can even be called the locomotives of this film. Secondary characters also do not fail or spoil the overall impression of the film.
In “Salmon Catch” there is practically no action as such, the narrative is very smoothly measured, but you do not want to yawn while watching or turn off the film at all. The very apparent absurdity of the situation from the very beginning introduces a certain intrigue: “How will it end?” To its middle, the picture manages to surprise several times and finally hook the raised acute social issues. Here you have political games and racism and the problem of excessive conservativeness and somewhere “bad” stubbornness of radicalized members of society. The problem is that people refuse to listen to each other while fighting windmills. Even so beloved by the British opposition of “long” and “feelings” is found in this work. And the subject of love, of course. The film is perfect for viewing in a relaxed atmosphere under a cup of hot chocolate. The warm feelings that he evokes remain in the soul for a long time. (This is confirmed by the fact that I watched this film almost after the release in Russia, that is, in 2012, and I still remember it.)
It’s nice, even if it’s a little strange. What's so weird about that? Such a romantic tale with a dramatic ending. And the second - only in essence, but not in perception.
The idea of relocating fish (not some carpenter, but whole salmon!) from northern British waters to Yemen is, yes, typically utopian. And it is not without incarnation.
Love triangle. The ending, I think, is predictable from the beginning. Well, of course, she chose not someone she had known for a week (three to be exact), but someone who had walked hand in hand with her all this difficult journey from north to south and so tried to support her in moments of despair. Someone who valued her soul more than her body. Someone who was in—not outside of—its existence. He who from the beginning chose love over war.
Miss Harriet Chelwood-Talbot (oh yes, a compound English surname) is pretty and clever. And so sentimental... And Mr. Jones is a typical dorky scientist who turns out to be very impressive. Of course, next to the charming girl with whom he is in love; And both of them were able to bring each other back to life - the most real, sometimes mocking, but so rich.
A few words about the other heroes.
Robert is the one who survived the war and lost in love. What can I do, c'est la vie? He didn't know Harriet the way she was. So I couldn’t hold her back.
Sheikh, who wanted to fish in his native land. This desire seems so immediate that he does not look like a rabid egoist, but rather like a virtuous mere mortal.
One of the things I didn't like was the PM's London rat press secretary. Well, it's all tricky in dealing with delicate politics! And of course I sat in a puddle. Just like a floundering fish XD
***
And landscapes... What magnificent Scottish landscapes stretched in the frame! what fascinating views of northern Britain opened from a bird's eye view! Another thing - the Arabian deserts - a continuous scorching beige. There is a shining blue over it.
Already quite an adult boy-nerd (and doctor of science), surviving in the fourth decade, receives a letter from a certain (pretty and brisk) citizen, who invites him to participate in an absolutely incredible and impossible event for salmon breeding in Yemen.
A film that has no flaws. A chic production, an original script, sharp British humor, seasoned with a handful of sarcasm, excellent musical accompaniment and amazing acting. One of those movies you need to watch in the original with subtitles, because those voices, that accent, those taunts (and mat) have to be heard in the original.
Ewan McGregor once again struck, magnificently playing a charming bore, who throughout the film gradually reveals himself and the viewer, as if flourishing. Emily Blunt, as usual, is incredibly beautiful and organic, here she had a wide range of emotions. Christine Scott Thomas appeared for me in a new role, with which she coped just brilliantly, but can you expect something different from her?
Very good, very kind, sometimes funny, sometimes exciting cinema, beautiful both outside and inside.
8 out of 10
The film, which translators / marketers decided to call “Fish of my dreams” to attract more viewers, in the original is called “Salmon fishing in Yemen”, but in order not to scare off the audience decided to come up with a sweeter and more pleasant title with a hint of romance and ease of the film.
An interesting cast, English humor and pleasant soundtracks set up the idea that an evening watching this film can be very good. And, to be honest, until the middle of the film everything was very good.
Two main storylines that make you think a little and come to disappointing conclusions. Namely: a personal relationship in the film and the idea of realizing a dream.
Dr. Alfred Jones' sad relationship with his wife. The crisis of middle years in family relationships, which the couple can not survive for reasons that are not clear enough to me, and a young and pretty girl Harriet, who first causes pity, and then bewilderment, because she does not know what she wants and whether she wants anything at all. As a result, two potentially happy couples are destroyed, but the viewer sobs with emotion, as something new is born, and what exactly no one knows, and will not know.
Now let's turn to salmon fishing in Yemen, which is kind of a metaphor for the realization of unrealizable dreams. This storyline may not be as hopeless as the previous one, but I have a question: Why? Why so much effort, so much suffering, and so much expenditure on something that only a few people need in the end? A way to divert the attention of ordinary people from real problems? Maybe. Why not help those who really need it? This is good for you and good for society.
After watching this film, I had mixed feelings and some confusion, so
5 out of 10
'Salmon fishing in Yemen' (that’s how it translates) is one of my favorite movies. It is played by Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt. All the other characters are secondary in this picture. I love the first two. Ewan McGregor is very talented. His range of roles is so wide that it is even difficult to determine his role in cinema. It's nice that Blunt is moving in the same direction. Britain is generous with good actors.
' Salmon Fishing in Yemen' explores the relationship between a married civil servant and a young, charming curator from a partner firm for wealthy clients. Everything that happens to salmon, fishing and politics is just background and scenery. To some extent, the title of the film can be called an allegory. I disagree that 'film about faith'. This question is raised in several dialogues, but only to emphasize the motives of the characters leading them to a common goal. And the presence or absence of faith in a religious sense does not affect the outcome. Everyone has their own faith. Two things I didn’t like about the film were the cynicism about the war and the atmosphere at the State Department. Too superficial and untrustworthy in the context of events. The actions of the press secretary and the Prime Minister of England are more like the tricks of first-year college students. But we write this misunderstanding down to the need for a certain ease of narrative.
The film is romantic, easy and looks with pleasure. Since I never go to the cinemas, I was ' devoid of ' charms in view of the comments from the hall and the rustling of popcorn, and watching this picture at home is a pleasure. There is a lot of good music in the film, OST deserves special attention.
Failt, everyone! “Fish of my dreams” in the consciousness and understanding of the viewer does not fit into one particular genre. Before viewing, it seems that this is a melodrama, in the middle of the film it is a comedy, and in the end, despite the happy ending, you feel a slight aroma of drama.
A scientist, Alfred Jones of the British Federal Fisheries Agency, receives a proposal from the company of a rich Yemeni sheikh to arrange a place for fishing salmon in Yemen. The scientist is played by Ewan McGregor. It was hard to believe that the brutal and belligerent McGregor could play such a small and inconspicuous man as Jones, but it turned out quite well. Vigilant and scrupulous Jones initially refuses, very logically and correctly explaining that this idea is very stupid and almost impossible. However, suddenly the British government comes into play, and Jones is forced to accept the project. And with each step of its implementation, Jones increasingly begins to believe in its ultimate success.
Jones falls in love with a project assistant played by Emily Blunt. Her heroine initially impresses the viewer with her schooling and informativeness, however, in the course of the development of the plot, written, by the way, according to the book by Paul Tarday, her emotional side comes to the fore.
The film is distinguished by high-quality and truly British humor, light atmosphere and excellent acting of actors, not only by the way the main ones. Just look brilliant on the screen Christine Scott Thomas and Amr Wacked, playing two contrasting characters. The first was the role of Prime Minister’s Press Secretary. Her character is even more informative character Blunt, very energetic (and other roles Christine does not give) and quite tough. The second plays the same sheikh, a wise and sensitive eastern ruler, who brilliantly feels the situation.
The political component slips a bit in the picture, but thanks to the cool work of screenwriter Simon Bofoy and director Lase Halstrom, it is diluted with a humorous stream and a pinch of irony.
The film is based on Paul Thordey’s novel Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, and I think that title should be kept. The combination of “Yemen” and “salmon” is already intriguing, and when the oil sheikh (Amr Waked) allocates £ 50 million to resettle Scottish salmon in a man-made Yemeni reservoir and is going to organize competitions for its catch, it becomes really interesting.
Having come to the attention of British politicians, the scientifically absurd project gets approval and acceleration. “Fish, so fish...” the British Prime Minister’s spokesman (Christine Scott Thomas) clutched at the idea to distract the public from more important things. Unexpectedly, a specialist from the London Fisheries Centre (Ewan McGregor) is fond of the project, on which, in fact, all the hopes of the sheikh were. Ten thousand beautiful fish are delivered in cisterns from cold Britain to sultry Arabia. But it turns out that not everyone is happy with them: fierce opponents of the noble idea of the Sheikh to rapprochement between West and East are trying to disrupt the project and destroy the organizer.
Instead of a wonderful pastime with a fishing rod in hand, the heroes are waiting for extreme adventures. A quiet cabinet scientist, the old-fashioned and slightly timid Dr. Jones will prove to be strong, bold and reliable, and his love for the charming Miss Harriet (Emily Blunt), Sheikh Mohammed's secretary, is insanely romantic. Instead of the expected picture with a utopian plot, an interesting, kind, romantic, colorful film from the master Lasse Hallström is born.
7 out of 10
A few words about the film “Fish of my dreams”, or not too profitable, according to distributors, literal titles “Salmon fishing in Yemen”. Contemporary English cinema has already moved so far from its origins that sometimes it is almost impossible to find differences between them and their overseas counterparts. Here, a priori, we are no longer talking about the dying genre of classical historical costume production. We need to look at the transformation of English culture as a whole. The book, as far as I know, has a very sharp political satire. In the film, this plot fades into the background, however, memorable thanks to the play of the incomparable Christine Scott Thomas. It is thanks to her acting talent that the film has this distinctive English style, which is sometimes so lacking in many films of the genre.
Actually, the plot of the picture to fishing has an indirect relationship, and is built around the relationship of Dr. Alfred Jones (Evan Margregor), the actor firsthand familiar with fish (a small remark “Big Fish”) and Herriet Chelwood-Tarbot, performed by Emily Blunt. So, thanks to the idea of fishing in Yemen, seemingly at first crazy in words, the characters gradually come to realize their own importance in the all-encompassing process. The process by which words turn into actions and science turns into faith. This film is about faith, about faith in one’s own strength, about the fact that everything can be achieved with diligence and patience. The main thing is to be able to overcome yourself and make a decisive turn, as did the aforementioned salmon or the heroine Emily Blunt, may she forgive me for such a comparison.
Lasse Hallström is an unsurpassed master of melodramas. Published by Western producers, the Swede, recently often takes on film adaptations that arouse his interest. Paul Torday's book is no exception. And the result will definitely please any serious fisherman, that is, the viewer.
Once upon a time there was a eccentric fisherman Alfred (Mac) with an unloved and unloving wife. Just because I'm used to going with the flow. And then there was an Arab sheikh, a passionate lover of fishing, who wished in Yemen (Africa) to draw a river through the desert and populate this very river with salmon. And then there was the Prime Minister’s press secretary (Christine Scott-Thomas), who, in light of the terrorist act and the aggravation of British-Arab relations, urgently needed some bright, kind, peaceful story about these very relations. Therefore, we take the sheikh and promise him salmon, and then, under threat of dismissal, instruct Alfred to engage in an idiotic and hopeless project. And that he was not bored, we make him an assistant charming Harriett (Emily Blunt), which has a difficult life situation and a love collision. And at some point, Alfred suddenly realizes that he likes the sheikh, and Africa, and his current job. Well, Harriett? And Harriet is a separate conversation.
The film has its own special atmosphere - like all Hallstrom films, probably. You leave the cinema with a smile on your lips because the film leaves a feeling of warmth and light in your soul. And right. Because although the situations in which the characters fall are very ambiguous, and the exits from them cannot be regarded as “good” or “bad” (as in life), you understand that for these people everything ended as well as possible. And even those who are left behind will find happiness someday.
McGregor here, as everywhere else, is sweet and natural. Emily Blunt is charming, Christine Scott-Thomas is businesslike and causes a smile. I fell in love with Alfred and Harriett and the press secretary and the charming sheikh. Well, Lasse Hallström put them all together and made a great movie. A film about faith in yourself and God. Very kind and bright, with soft British humor, wonderful actors and a beautiful picture. The film is about fighting, not giving up and not choosing the easy way. And thank you to the salmon for the fact that in the end the heroes sailed against all currents. For truly...so it must be.
I strongly recommend watching. And with your favorite halves.
The original and completely ambiguous script of this film makes him additional bonuses. When from the first minutes you tune in to the British version of Wag the dog, and in the end you get a completely self-sufficient melodrama about choosing a life path elusively creating a cute atmosphere of another Lasse Hallstrom film Chocolate. The story, which began with a frankly image project of one sheikh to transport trout from Britain to Yemen, ends with the fixation of a highly anticipated love story. It is the plot ornateness that gives the film its charm. After all, the viewer will have to choose what this movie is about - criticism of the British Prime Minister, social projects and the Eastern attitude, love and transformation of a boring scientist. There are many solutions here, and what is important, for everyone they are subjective.
For my taste, the topic of fishing is not sufficiently worked out in this tape. Still, based on the script, the Center of the Universe of this film, as in "River flows" Redford was supposed to be fish and fishing. But Hallstrom is Hallstrom, and despite the excellent script, he focuses on love. Fortunately, Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt in the lead roles. And it does not matter that their love-story is straightforward and predictable, it turned out beautifully.
Against the background of a love story, we get a very colorful character of the sheikh, who, instead of investing in Manchester City or Fullham, chooses a much more non-trivial way to invest. Amr Wakid’s precise play gives us a highly romanticized and never pragmatic image of the Arab sheikh. I think, by the way, if he had created such an image in Jacques-Jean Anno’s Black Gold, he would have looked much better than Antonio Banderas.
And yet, the script of this film could suggest much more serious and ambiguous work. Hallstrom did everything masterfully, but the impression of a certain superficiality did not leave me throughout the viewing. Perhaps the whole thing is in a completely failed line associated with political satire. Christine Scott Thomas did not look at all in the key role of a frivolous adviser to the head of government, thereby lubricating the effect of the film.
So, “on the way out” remembers the duo still not lost the romance of Ewan and temperamental Emily Blunt. But all the laurels, of course, Amr Wakidu is an unexpected acting luck.
6 out of 10
Fairy-tale melodrama from the master of fabulous melodramas
I really like the work of Lasse Hallström. Despite the fact that almost all of his films I have a strong seven, the pictures are very pleasant and heartfelt, whether it’s Chocolate, Casanova or Wine Rules. This is what is called a movie for the soul and heart. The persistent mind is advised to rest on the sidelines in anticipation of something more complex and intellectual. “Salmon Fishing in Yemen” (can I do that, in the original version?) is a film-mood, true British cinema, elegant and a little naive.
Impossibly sweet, infantile professor, who received the strangest assignment in his life - to breed salmon in an unintended place - finds himself in an awkward position. He does not believe in such an enterprise, he believes only in facts and numbers, distrusting feelings and emotions that never take precedence over him. The doctor has a wife, a notorious careerist, who almost does not care about her husband.
And here, as usual, a beautiful girl Harriet is invited to the salmon breeding project. At first, our hero is wary of her, you can laugh at their funny and cute skirmishes for a long time, because they are very intelligent and subtle. But gradually, their relationship improves, aided by the wise advice of a handsome sheikh (who, in fact, came up with the whole idea of salmon) and walks through the picturesque deserts of Yemen. It is very interesting to observe the development of their relationship, to feel the semitone and emotional coloring of each sentence. Oh, Lasse! You are a master of this genre!
And finally, about the breeding of salmon in Yemen, did it work? This is theoretically as possible as idiotically possible life on Mars. But it is possible, because faith and true devotion work miracles!
The film is cozy, gentle and very kind. Dedicated to romantics and just sensitive natures!
For anyone who is afraid to fall asleep in the middle of the film, like with a fishing rod by a pond, do not be afraid. It's not about fishing. Fishing is just a reason to say more. About what faith and love mean, about how a person achieves a goal. And also about how politicians think and how government agencies work.
In general, it is definitely worth watching: excellent acting, entertaining humor, atmosphericity, beautiful shooting places characterize this film.
I want to talk about the main character, Dr. Alfred Jones. A person who at first glance does not have problems, except for one - he suffers from Asperger's syndrome. It is this fact that makes his life so measured - home, work, sandwich lunches, alcohol on weekends. But is he happy? Hardly. Yes, his work is connected with his favorite fishing, the marriage has been going on for many years. But deep down, he realizes he's "stuck" and can't move forward. He fears that he is not capable of “movement” and development at all, that he is too dependent on his illness and on his wife.
He is helped to believe and overcome himself by this insane, at first glance, salmon fishing project in Yemen and the people involved in it.
10 out of 10
Now it is difficult to say what inspired me to choose this film. Whether the face of the charming McGregor on the poster (to which for some time I have sincere audience sympathy), or another attempt to find a new masterpiece from the rubric “Other cinema”, or the desire to taste a new movie dish of salmon, seasoned with a hot sauce of political game. Anyway, one Friday night there was a review.
The first word that comes to mind to describe this film is fascinating.
Its plot is comparable to the measured current of a mountain river, looking at the waters of which the whole world around simply ceases to exist. And you seem to penetrate into its virgin purity, fill it with freshness and just can not take your eyes off.
What's the movie about?
Faith. A miracle. When you really want something, with all your heart, the whole universe helps you.
Faith. That everyone has their own faith. Even a scientist who denies all faith.
Love. Hate. And the power of life.
What exactly is this about? One crazy idea is to bring Scottish salmon into the desert. And make her spawn. And make it the main project of the British government in the East, which will be covered by the media.
Any reasonable person will say nonsense.
Delusional scientist.
That’s funny, a politician will think.
Only a true believer will be able to do so.
And even if they become pawns in a dirty political game, the heroes of the film reach their Olympus, embodying this only “theoretically possible” idea.
Of course, the image of the sheikh shown by the authors evokes a certain smile – a person with an unthinkable state does not appear to us at all. What do we really know about these people? Nothing. And why not believe that out of a hundred there will be one such, just such – a noble, “forward-looking”, resolute person who is concerned not only with his own welfare, but also with the fate of his people.
McGregor's hero wants to applaud standing up. This image of a simple professor, who “drinks alcohol only on weekends, and then only in the evening”, with his subtle English humor causes a lot of positive emotions. He is ready to raise a child instead of his wife, is ready to quit his favorite job just to not lose his authority in scientific circles and is ready to feed salmon with his own hands in the desert, imbued with the power of faith.
Well, the female image created by Emily Blunt, filled with the opposition of business strength and human weakness, complements the previous two and gives the possibility of the existence of a love line that gives the film a completely unforgettable aftertaste.
Oh, yeah, I almost forgot about the sauce from the fine political game. It's simple. The similarity of the idea with “The Tail Wags the Dog” does not spoil it at all, but thanks to the image of the press secretary, it really fills the picture dish with the piquantly defiant unscrupulousness of political figures. Concluding its versatility and splendor.
And if you want to spend a measured, calm and pleasant evening in warm company, contemplating the fascinating landscapes of Scotland, replaced by no less attractive hot pictures of the East, then simply - "go to the movies" (s). .
Remember the acclaimed video where a man caught a fish and shouted "I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-I-Yaz!" Is that the fish of my dreams? Remember?
We all know that for the sake of rolling success, movie titles are often translated, um, inaccurately. And one can only guess how much time our Russian creators would have spent to come up with a box office title for the film “Salmon Fishing in Yemen,” if not for the occasion. Not long before the film was released in the Russian box office, on YouTube snatched millions of likes of the above video. And the phrase “fish of my dreams” became clear to everyone. Moreover, it hints at comic content. “Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” became “Fish of My Dreams”.
In fact, the film is not so much about fish, but, yes, about dreams.
There is such an Arab sheikh, and he dreams of flooding the barren lands of Yemen, and at the same time populating new waters with fish, so that his loyal subjects would be imbued with the main passion of the sheikh - fishing. And, of course, this is a very enlightened Europeanized sheikh, extremely noble, polite and in general Omar Sharif (not literally that you...).
There is a sheikh in London whose job is to turn inside out but find a way to raise salmon in Yemen. Well, more precisely, there is an entire office that deals with investments of the sheikh. And there's a girl in this office who's assigned to lead a salmon farming project in Yemen. And, of course, this girl is cute, smart, slim, cheerful, professional and unhappy in her personal life.
There is a government office to provide Yemen with salmon. That is, literally catch, count and transfer. Well, at the same time calculate all the risks and viability of this idea from the point of view of salmon. And this is assigned to the most ordinary employee, which is a million, but given the fact that he clearly understands fish. And this employee, of course, is stuffed, pedantic, boring, buttoning shirts down his throat, married, and unhappy, because he hasn't done anything remarkable in his entire life.
There is a spokesman for the British Prime Minister. In fact, he is the only person in the film who makes a comedy. The press secretary needs what? That's right, news! And the better, the better. Therefore, the sheikh’s project is given the green light, and all state structures are given the command “Fas!”.
And the film begins.
Hallstrom chose, perhaps, the sweetest actors of modern cinema, taking into account their nationality, of course. And who is the main charm of Great Britain? No, not Jason Statham. Evan McGregor, of course. In his 40s, he still has boyish features and a remarkable talent for making puppy eyes. He knows how to be timid, clumsy, plush... Yes, yes, I’m talking about that McGregor, who in “The Needle” played, a terrible, skinny drug addict. And the one who rode around the world on a bike. He has a special conversation with the fish. Remember Burton’s masterpiece, The Big Fish. Well, I think the associative series begs for it.
Well, the female role went to Emily Blunt. She's really nice. Well, I like watching her on the screen. Not Meryl Streep, of course, in terms of talent, but not mediocrity type ... (further follow the names for which the male half of humanity will crucify me). He is able to play everyday roles and at the same time be luxurious. And certainly not afraid to be funny.
The role of the sheikh went to the Egyptian Amr Wakid. And, to give credit, this actor wears national clothes as skillfully as European. That is, the actor for the whole film did not cause any feeling of “inconsistency”. The main thing is not to get stuck in the image of sheikhs or unfortunate Arabs. Well, I mean, he won't change his nationality, but I would look at this actor in a secular role.
Well, and the triumph of acting - press secretary performed by Christine Scott Thomas. She is, you know, such a typical British woman: dry as a herring, white-skinned, as if the rays of the sun never fall on her skin, with hard features and stiffness in everything, even in jokes.
The picture itself, with such an actor’s composition and with the idea embedded in it, could become quite resonant or at least ridiculous. There is a parody of politics and politicians. There are bright types. There's a moving story here. But... in general, “The Fish of My Dreams” turned out to be just, sorry, a naughty tale that could happen almost anywhere, but happened in the UK.
The comical charisma in the film is the character of the press secretary, Patricia Maxwell. It’s always funny to watch politicians come up with news (think “Smoking here”). With an absolutely serious face, Patricia soaks up jokes that I actually laughed at. Perhaps it is a tribute to the profession.
But attempts to play a comic dialogue between Alfred and Harriet (the main characters) fail one by one. In the end, McGregor’s character simply admits that he has a sense of humor. And immediately it becomes easier to watch. The story of Alfred and Harriet is more touching than funny. And, of course, obvious: business correspondence, business communication, timid attempts at rapprochement, friendship, love (when, holding hands, they go into the Yemeni sunset ...)
But in this film there is a place for heroism, which in terms of dramaturgy and implementation resembles more of an Indian action movie - it looks so unrealistic.
In general, I would describe this movie with one word “spiritual”. Well, if it wasn’t for the fighting Patricia Maxwell, without whom this movie, even in the lead role by Evan McGregor, would deserve only a stamp for home viewing.
A very simple movie with a not banal story is filmed very simply and soulfully, but this soulfulness looks very boring. The film is based on a book in which the main plot is government thinking with a background on the fish, and in the film the opposite. If it were satire, things would be different.
In the first place here stands the whim of one Sheikh, who decided to implement a simple seemingly idea. Just find 10,000 salmon, prepare them for transportation, transport them to Lake Yemen. Of course, that's my sarcasm. There's nothing simple here, there's real steam. Although Mohammed gives 50 million pounds, it does not change anything. He hires someone who can fulfill his dream. Dr. Alfred Jones has been working in the fishing industry for a long time, and he knows all the geographical possibilities of Yemen, so he refuses to fulfill the order, but his boss from the London center blackmails and leaves him no choice but to meet with the assistant. Harriet became a colleague of the doctor in the implementation of the incredible. In Yemen, the desert area, where there is little rainfall and the risk of drainage increases every year, so even if they bring a certain number of salmon to this state, it is not a fact that the fish will live for more than a week. The Sheikh argued his plan with the faith, the faith of the people, who needed to escape from all troubles. People will come and fish, abstracting themselves from the present.
But it was not without a romantic background. Jones lives with a woman who works in government, and this officiality, hypocrisy and tone in manners begin to bother him every time he sees a sincere and simple girl, his colleague. She sympathizes with him, but can not leave the duty of waiting for the girl of her boyfriend, who went to war. And the time that the doctor and the consultant spend on solving the problem of fishing in Yemen brings them closer together, but there are still many worries ahead.
Ewan McGregor plays the right and intelligent guy who follows his principles and rules from year to year, but when he is forced to take on this job, he becomes more sentimental in spite of this. Emily Blunt is a beautiful actress listed on my favorite list. Her character looks simple and soulful, conversations with Dr. Johnson are amusing with their style of soft rudeness, and their dialogues cause a smile and tenderness.
Based on the above, we can conclude that this picture was under the good hands of the director Lasse Hallström, although in this case it is not to say. The film makes no impression. Everything is too simple for the main characters turns out, perhaps he wanted to give more sentimentality to this film, and as a result, a banal melodrama with numerous stamps was obtained, which I can advise only to fans of easy, drawn-out and boring cinema!
6 out of 10
The director offers us a picture, in the center of the narrative of which are two completely ordinary young people. They get together and their whole world changes dramatically. For Harried and Alfred, who have experienced deep personal turmoil, a new path opens. They gain the strength to act, resist and not look back.
It's funny what an interesting parallel we can see in this picture. As silly and comical as it may sound, Alfred, in my opinion, is finally beginning to swim against the tide with his idols, salmon. I don’t know if Alfred was inspired by these silent friends, but the fact remains that he finally decides to decide his own destiny. Perhaps the director in this way lets us know that nature holds all the keys. Maybe I was stupid and misunderstood something. Which is more likely.
Without a doubt, the heroes are completely confused. In the intricacies of life, they no longer imagine what a turn of fate must occur in order for everything in their lives to fall into place again. A crazy idea with salmon, a reckless dream, managed to unite them.
The director repeatedly notes that this story is a storehouse of incredible and exceptional coincidences. However, do we not know how many cubic meters of a miracle is contained in the most ordinary and everyday life? Can you forget about that?
"Fish of my dreams" - another film, which even before the middle, was thrown by me in the basket of one-time views. It’s a shame that my basket is filling up at an unprecedented rate, it’s not because I’m too picky, it’s not at all, it’s because a time has begun where good movies are very, very rare. After the melodrama directed by Lasse Hallström, “The Fish of My Dreams”, I made promises to myself, to carefully choose films, not to waste time on such a dull song, but rather to concentrate my attention on the classics of the last century, well, less with that.
The screen pair in the salmon case is Ewan McGregor and Emily Blunt, both actors I don't care about, and that was the same in this movie. The plot of the film tells how a very rich Sheikh Mohammed, an ardent fan of fishing, offers Dr. Alfred Jones to give life to the desert in Yemen. The fact is that Mohammed wants to hold a salmon fishing competition here, and Alfred Jones is a great expert in the field of these fish, so he knows best how to attach salmon to new housing. Dr. Jones is helped by a pretty, young woman named Harriet, who sees this project as a great success and just an interesting idea.
This slightly strange idea appealed to everyone, and even politicians, who consider this project a good distraction from problems in society. Who would have thought that salmon would attract so much attention? Without love here did not do, this is actually the genre of melodrama. To sum up, cute movie with an interesting idea, but only for once, no more.
Perhaps, after all, it was not necessary for our to rename the film, taking advantage of the considerable popularity of the YouTube video. And the point, most importantly, is not that the idea did not come true, on the contrary, the “bait” worked like never before. Just not to confuse this rather good and kind film, with the "languages", which has already found its audience. To cover the tape is not quite the required and pleasant coating, so to speak. “Fish of my dreams” really does not deserve it, at least for its morality and basic idea. They are as clear in the film as anywhere else. A certain simplicity in the expression of thoughts also leaves its mark. It is not that you do not need to think, rather, on the contrary, you need to do more. Just in the film everything is painted so consistently and evenly that involuntarily everyone begins to join the good, and this is one of the priorities of cinema. Such films clearly do not claim the love of film critics, but they are the most beloved and heartfelt. Suitable for any audience and viewing time!
The story itself can hardly be called intricate and intricate. Unusual in it is only the idea - fish, and even in Yemen. I don’t remember anyone shooting anything about fishing like that before. It's at least intriguing. Further actions are quite expected, but despite this they entail, forcing anyone to plunge into the mysterious head of the fisherman and absorb, albeit generalized, the philosophy of fishing. It’s great, especially talking to fish. Strangely enough, they seem to be the smartest creatures. And in general, the whole film is accompanied by some ridiculous phrases in a different environment and sharp jokes that can bring everyone to the state of “falling under the table.” This may not be serious at all, but often during the viewing, one thought visited the head: “What if this is the meaning of life?” Peace and harmony are not far from us. It is enough just to throw the rod...
Another feature of “Fish...” was the cast. The highlight, of course, was the heroine of Christine Scott Thomas. It completely reflects the strict reality of today, deliberately trying to tear the dreamer away from his slumber, and the fisherman from the fishing rod, which she was otherwise very good at. Although, probably, it is these people who move the Earth, forcing it to turn in the right direction. McGregor's good-natured face only added heat to the fire. Eh, after all, he often has to play such characters, experience makes itself felt! As for the rest, they simply humbly played their part, without going beyond what is allowed. Perhaps there is nothing to say about them.
After reading the descriptions, you unwittingly start politicizing the film, giving it completely unnecessary dryness and rigidity. It's superfluous! “Fish of my dreams” is not teeming with people in white shirts and ties, tireless journalists and the rest of the trappings of political battles. It's more of a life and philosophy movie than anything else. Politics is only remembered at the beginning and at the end, when it emerges by itself. There’s a lot of wisdom in it, of course, but that’s not the main issue raised in the film. Therefore, we should not pay more attention to politics than it deserves.
“Fish of My Dreams” is one of the best films for the soul, which would be good to review. Absolutely uncomplicated design, high-quality bait, excellent performance of actors gave the desired result. Fish on a hook! But still, the film would not be so good if not for the main idea – the desire to change not the whole world, but just your own life. At the very least, you should not go with the flow!
Is it theoretically possible?
- It is as possible as life on Mars (c)
The desires of wealthy people can be absurd, stupid and hopeless, but some of them can not only amuse their huge ego, but also give people hope or find their lost landmarks.
Fishing specialist Dr. Jones is tasked with resettling salmon in Yemen and organizing competitions to catch it. At first glance, this absolutely unrealistic proposal is perceived by him with hostility, but, firstly, the British government is interested in this plan, and secondly, a married doctor falls in love with a young Sheikh consultant. The hero has no choice but to obey and try to believe that he will be able to make an unrealistic migration of salmon.
Lasse Hallström put the picture in his classic unhurried manner, in which the timing of even less than two hours is perceived as too long. His style is read from the first frames of the picture, the heroes who suffer in everyday life, situations that lead them to the world of realization of any ideas, people who help everyone and in everything.
The script of the picture is sluggish and clearly written in "a couple of napkins". If at the beginning he somehow tries to move the film forward, then, approximately somewhere in the middle completely fades away, lighting up a specific light towards the end of the project.
The cast worked their parts differently. If there is not a single comment on Christine Scott Thomas, her character, although similar to everything she has already played, still looks alive and not template.
Characters McGregor and Blunt are boring and uninteresting, despite the fact that they are the central points of the picture, these are the weakest parts of the project.
“Fish of my dreams” is a beautiful fairy tale stuck in the past, it has nothing to give to its viewer, luring him with famous names and a specific plot.
- It was an incredible idea. And we almost succeeded.
- But I wasn't talking about fish.
- Yeah, I guess I do too.
Incredibly lively, colorful film. Salmon fishing in Yemen came as a pleasant surprise to me. Usually, films that involve politics pretend to be serious and profound. I'm glad that "Fishing" is not one of those.
As far as politics is concerned, this film is a vivid example of satire. Excellent satire! The British politicians were very thorough. I haven't seen that in a while. Probably since the days of Dr. Strangelove.
At the same time, against the background of a completely absurd idea, rather serious questions are raised: questions of faith, questions of the meaning of life. But all this is done so unobtrusively that it does not cause any rejection.
And, of course, the love story is shown and revealed in the best way and, in some ways, from a rather unusual side. Lately we've been stuffed with sweet melancholic or ferocious macho. Here is also shown a quiet person, from whom you do not expect the directness with which he, albeit in his own way, but still fights for his love.
The actors are excellent. Ewan McGregor is an amazing actor and everyone knows that. But quite unexpectedly, Christine Scott Thomas and Amr Vaquid showed themselves in an excellent way.
I really enjoyed Salmon Fishing in Yemen. Look, you won't regret it.
From the trailer and the title, you could assume that the movie is either absolutely terrible or quite enjoyable. After watching it, I came to the second conclusion. “Fish of my dreams” was not without flaws, but with a certain amount of charm and great humor.
Let's start with the name. What in English, what in Russian the film was not called and, frankly, called... If it weren’t for a healthy share of advertising, I wouldn’t risk my time. -1
The plot of the picture is also lame in places. It feels like we first came up with a beginning and an end, and then we set things up. Some may argue that this is how the scripts are written, but there is clearly something wrong with this film. As a result, it turned out a playful drama and improbability. Another -1.
1 ball shoot for extra characters. There were people in the film who did not add anything to the plot or emotions. And beauty, as Gioconda said, is when there is nothing superfluous. Gentlemen producers, we would have removed a couple of roles and saved money. And so, some losses...
Now to the positive. Ewan McGregor is absolutely inimitable. Not only did he get used to the role wonderfully, and played a real nerd-fisher, he also diluted the whole story with intelligent and very funny jokes. Before the eyes of the viewer there is an evolution of his character, who turns from a pathetic, albeit respected, professor into an enthusiastic leader of a “theoretically possible”, but practically impossible project. The game Emily Blunt also liked, however, against the background of McGregor, did not cause much emotion. But Christine Scott Thomas was very pleased, and now and then she let loose strong words about scientists, the sheikh, the prime minister and even her own children.
So let's put a solid seven on the film. For the acting and beautiful shooting, which had a hand great and powerful BBC. Here we go.
Incredibly deep film! It shows us how we need to believe, how important faith is in man, and at the same time how disgusting fanaticism is from that belief. Many films have been devoted to this theme in the history of cinema. Look around! Politicians use everything they can to make people think about what politicians need. They take advantage of the idea of transporting salmon to Yemen, they take advantage of the religious fanaticism of naive Wahhabis; in our country they use “yaaaz” (we have to justify our name!), and more dangerous things. Don't let people think! The people do what they tell them to do. And the fact that a film that makes us think about this in our harsh times, almost no one in our country and did not watch, it is not just terrible, it is fatal.
Dr. Jones is a key figure around whom everything revolves. He has a very specific negative view of religion and is surprised by the people who go to church on Sunday. Mohammed tells him that his belief in fish is also a religion. He's right and wrong. Religion, by any means, always implies a belief in the supernatural, in something that may not exist, and in some special people who understand the supernatural better. He is right in saying that faith is always necessary to man, because faith makes man human. What does Mohammed believe? He wants to unite people who believe in different things for one common cause. His final regret is reminiscent of Stalker's final monologue to his wife. But unlike Tarkovsky, Hallstrom does show the importance of faith, proves it in practice. So it's hard to disagree with him. It literally catches the viewer in the good web of truth. “Stalker” and “Sacrifice” failed to convey the importance of faith so much, “Spirit of the Times” failed to convey the political spirit of using religion to create public opinion, “Salmon Fishing in Yemen” was able to convey both! Getting both of these things in the same movie is incredibly difficult. And at the same time reveal each character. Hallström managed both.
And how, meanwhile, are people who troll atheists with words like “There is no God, everything is allowed,” “Is it scary to believe in emptiness?”, etc. No, the age has proved to us not only that we must believe, but also that the faith of an ordinary person will be used by people who are omnipotent and unusual. Any way you can. I-chat to send each other messages in which they regret that they do not like people are still alive. Hypocrite and lie. To promote religion at the same time. Think about how much money they make on disputes about religion, on offensive disputes. On the endless and unargued imposition of your point of view! Money, oil, gas. That's all. Because everyone can pour water, and only a few can judge. Are they even anywhere? They are so rare that we simply do not notice them. As Mohammed talks to Dr. Jones, people are dying in Afghanistan who naively believe they are working for their homeland. One of them is Harriet's fiancé. The only thing that kept him warm during the war was the thought of his beloved. And the only thing that broke Harriet was the thought of his fiancé. It is striking scene in which Dr. Jones almost directly tells the fiancé Harriet that he wants to see him dead.
With all the unusualness of the comparison, I remember another film with which to compare this. Don’t be surprised, this is American Beauty. And despite the fact that “Salmon Catch in Yemen” only a couple of sentences are told about teenagers, and “American Beauty” does not mention a word about faith. Few people will see the connection. But there is. With age, close people lose understanding. Maybe they are getting worse every year. Perhaps those who say that in life the black stripe is always replaced by white are wrong. Or maybe they are right, but in this case, each subsequent black stripe is increasingly black, and each subsequent white stripe is less white. There's one point in "Salmon Catch in Yemen" where we see disgruntled teenagers, and somehow it catches your eye. Do you have to be a child of rich parents to get something done? No, you have to be the child of parents who don’t ruin your hopes, give your ambitions a foothold, and look less at what your hood looks like. And the fairy tale that only for good you can achieve something, no matter what talent, invented all the same politicians who do not want children’s dreams to come true. They don't. They want parents to care about their children’s clothes. They do not want parents to worry about their child revealing all their good talents. The talent to expose power is very dangerous.
Life is theoretically possible on Mars. In theory, it is possible to fish in Yemen, and more than fishing. Theoretically, it is possible to save a person from a bullet using a fishing line. It is theoretically possible to survive where no one has survived. And theoretically, we can assume that “Salmon Fishing in Yemen” will achieve great popularity in the future, including in Russia, despite the complete failure in the box office. Basically, yes, damn it, it’s possible. You just have to want it hard and try hard. But most importantly, even theoretically it is impossible to live and not believe in anything. You can believe in God, in emptiness, in fish, in politicians. You can believe in love, you can believe in yourself. Or, like me, in the movies. And at the same time, it is incredibly dangerous to blind and impose your own point of view on others. Water in Yemen can offend God - naive fanatics believe it
How the movie makes you think, and how brilliantly it was made. Darkened background, poorly expressed foreground, and at the same time everything visually looks beautiful. The movie is full of funny moments. The scene in which Dr. Jones draws a dying sheikh should go down in history. And when he talks about water for the fish, and then asks for water for himself, what is not the most brilliant moment? It can be reviewed several times and each time with a smile.
“Salmon Fishing in Yemen” is a deep, extraordinary and amazing movie. I do not recommend you to watch it - I insist on a mandatory viewing.
The British Prime Minister’s Bitch-Secretary is awakened by a bell in the middle of the night – in the Middle East they shoot and blow up, disorder, the masses are worried. In the spirit of “Radio Like”, information about the region of a different kind is sought, and the best that the floating zoo managed to find and use was the idea of bringing thousands of fish into the desert so that the Yemeni sheikh could catch salmon without going to Loch Ness. The idea has already been wrapped up as an obviously absurd person from the fishing department, but if the authorities command to work as a political strategist, then there is no escape, you have to implement it. The hero and his wife absorbed the routines of the abyss, the sweet secretary of the sheikh lost her recent boyfriend thanks to the call and is confused, and the tycoon himself melts the frame with oil charisma and a mysterious squint, and all of them are united by dreamy enthusiasm, symbolizing hope and faith.
Hallstrom is so comfortable in the nineties that the sentimental stories from the crypt will not stop. An ethnically dressed Arab walks back and forth, and a reverse-thrust vacuum cleaner shoots flowery oriental wisdoms, the Idi-Amin dance of hunger makes the sahibs bend. Rich people are not crazy, they are eccentric. A sweet love story is built around giraffe clumsiness and turns into awkwardness, cute only to certain limits. Escape from the swamp bog boots to the knee, the urgency of the supermarket instead of the church and faceless cartoon reactionaries. The dream is not formulated, the nature of faith is in polite compromise. For rebellion against routine there is little rebellion, for political satire there is little politics and little satire. Sweetly parallel heroes and the background of terry moralizing symbolism, and neither mind nor heart. There are neither Theron nor Kane, nor even win-win dogs, and the wonderful British accents of beautiful people from voice-over polyphony instead of dubbing are not much saved, but you can no longer write off a dialogue axe to the insidiousness of brains.
And the dramaturgy is quite working and not without charms - the characters in Euler circles expand one-dimensionality, the paradoxes of family values with strokes, the omnipotent conspiracy of the fishing underground with details. Political decisions are made in chatiks, the leader of the Albion government is in places similar to Lukashenko, and the fate of fifty million pounds rested on the fat-faced middle managers. But some successful moments are swept away by a wave of core message of cotton underlyricism. Salmon will go upstream against nature, faith works wonders, and opposites will be attracted by the magnet of inevitability. The sugar apocalypse approaches upside down, and Hallstrom moves into the abyss of mediocrity, to the trendily exalted adventures of the layman, highlight old successes and work as a sign of a very certain kind. The entire possible audience is ironically, two million British fishermen.
It's not easy to believe in yourself. . It will be more difficult to organize life on Mars.
Didn't expect... Or rather, I expected - I specifically went to the master of sensations Hallstrom / "Chocolate", "Hachiko", "Rules of winemakers" / I just forgot what it was like to go into a movie and live in it. When you are not nervous, do not lead to emotions with the plot, when jokes are so natural and unthinkable that it seems as if they are joking with you / and about a mortgage, and about beautiful bait, and much more, and a squad of bodyguards in turms and shorts deserves separate applause / ...
The plot is quite simple: England in the face of a eccentric British scientist receives a proposal from the sheikh about the development of fishing in the desert. Despite the fabulous sums allocated by the Sheikh for the introduction of salmon in Yemen, despite the pretty consultant Harriet, who is able to get a star from the sky, the scientist resists, by all means proving the illogicality of this event, but ... fishing becomes a politically profitable tool. It is all about fishing.
Feelings are hard to describe... My friend said that the film is “light, nothing superfluous”...But it is light, not in the common sense...It is light, like sleep, like breathing, like the flapping of eyelashes or the flapping of the wings of a butterfly... It’s as if an unknown SOMEONE is weaving the lace of life, and you look at the spindle and quietly find yourself woven into these intricate patterns.
Very unusual sensations... This film is a very sensitive... And no 3 or 5D do not need to feel the smell of freshly brewed chocolate in Hallström’s films or feel the tartness of wine, or, as in “The Fish”, feel the coolness of mountain water and the tension of the impending Miracle that becomes a reality.
Unobtrusive and in harmony with the storyline, the musical accompaniment envelops and even more immerses in the world of ideas, it would seem, ordinary people who are not so simple in essence... Yes, and how can the language be called simple dreamers inspired by an incredible idea who are able to break the nets of everyday life for the sake of... Faith?!... Faith in the idea, faith in people, faith in the Future, and, finally, Faith in themselves!
The film is refreshing, the film is atmospheric, the film is charging, but just... A real movie.