I finally liked Ewan Mcgregor in a movie! He is such a weirdo in all his roles, but here he gets to do his strange, flat-affect thing and also be kind of sexy and smile a bit. He and Emily Blunt have a nice chemistry, and the love story between the two is well written, unrushed, and develops pretty naturally. It forms a satisfying base for a diverting and up-beat little film.

Salmon Fishing in the Yemen may be light, “sugar-coated” fun, but it is well-made sugar-coated fun! The writing is pretty tight and entertaining, and the performances are strong across the board. Especially wonderful is the magnificent Kristen Scott Thomas, who takes what could have been a painful character (the wise-cracking communications director for the prime minister) and through her comic skill and charisma makes the character both funny and likable.

The film is not without its problems – the whole “faith” thing is a bit heavy-handed (more than a bit, actually) and the assassination subplot felt forced – but the main story lines are developed well enough that these problems don’t interfere with your enjoyment of the story. Strong leads and well-written dialog hold the film together, and the end result is very pleasing. I recommend it.