Salmon Fishing in Yemen

Had to finally call it a day. Up at 7:30 am. Stop work at midnight. No, not loving it, thanks for asking. So. Decided to take the advice of my astute wife, who has a rather strict list of rules when it comes to film (which as frustrating as it is at times to find a film we both can agree on is just one of the many things that I adore about her). It goes something like this: NO violence explosions killing vulgarity rude comedy horror zombies vampires rapists glamorizing of drugs or alcohol gratuitous sex or foul language etc etc, which basically leaves Victorian era British films, old Hollywood classics, French Iranian Japanese (minus lots of fighting ) or other foreign films, and the occasional actually good American film that wants to tell a good story rather than one-up the studio next store with how vile they can be.

By now I've relaxed into bed with a new movie she saw on the plane over to the Middle East and suggested i watch too called SALMON FISHING IN YEMEN. The thing is that as always it's a fantastic film so far (or why would I have paused it to share with you?) Great story, small little great stories in between, good writing and a fine cast. And see that's the thing with film today isn't it? Hollywood unfortunately sincerely believes it must fill its works with all of the above mentioned 'no nos' to create a big blockbuster. Shock, rather than brilliance is the rule of their industry at the moment. There's a reason why Woody Allen decided to leave New York and never make another picture here and instead seek his funding from European movie studios. Google it. He refused to cave in to this wretched rule of shock and schlock. And for him it's working marvelously.

But for the rest of us, nit so much. The theatres and On Demand and pay per view and cable are filled with murders vampires horror zombies sexual predators foul language dick jokes and vulgar comedies explosions ridiculously impossible and intelligence insulting stunts long boring car chases and a truckload full of other such nonsense, leaving almost nothing to watch if one prefers to avoid such things.

But every now and then a good one gets funding and gets through the system. And here we are. So far a damn fine film. I don't know how long this trend of garbage spewing out of Hollywood is going to last, but I dare hope it's not forever.


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