‘Salmon Fishing in the Yemen’ catches on at the box office

‘Salmon Fishing’ catches on

“Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” reeled in a healthy number of moviegoers at the box office this last weekend.

The drama about a scientist and a consultant on a mission to bring fly-fishing to the Middle East opened in 18 theaters and collected $240,000 domestically, according to an estimate from distributor CBS Films. That amounted to a respectable per-theater average of $13,333.

The film, starring Emily Blunt and Ewan McGregor, attracted an older female audience— 71% of the crowd was over 50 and 61% were women. The film has earned so-so reviews, but those who saw the picture this last weekend seemed to like it: Ticket sales jumped 86% from Friday to Saturday, indicating that the movie is benefiting from strong word of mouth.

CBS Films, which had moderate success with its horror release “The Woman in Black” earlier this year, acquired “Salmon Fishing” at the Toronto Film Festival last year.

Meanwhile, the romantic comedy “Friends With Kids” also got off to a decent start. Written by, directed by and starring Jennifer Westfeldt, the movie opened in 375 theaters and grossed $2.2 million. That resulted in a less-than-robust per-theater average of $5,801.

The movie, about two friends who decide to have a baby together and remain in a platonic relationship, was also acquired at the Toronto fest. The movie was bought by Lionsgate, which is paying to market and release the film through Roadside Attractions.

— Amy Kaufman