Graham Merrill is a disillusioned White Collar worker in London. One lunchtime he ventures to the pub with his colleague and is persuaded to buy a raffle ticket. Little could he know that the purchasing of this ticket would dramatically change the course of his life forever.
Graham wins first prize - a juicy fresh salmon and he carries it wrapped in newspaper along the streets of the city until it slides out and lands directly beneath the window of a pet shop, behind which sits a curious looking little otter.
The otter seems to instantly bond with and thereafter recognise Graham every time he passes - as though he senses his presence, even in spite of Graham's various attempts at disguising himself or shielding his face with a book as he passes. The daily passing of the pet shop becomes somewhat of a ritual and when Graham one day overhears two men discussing the benefits of buying and training the otter for circus work, Graham wastes no time in purchasing the furry friend.
Once home, it is not long before the newly-named Mij makes his destructive mark on Graham's flat and before long he is told to vacate the premises. This leads him to change his lifestyle completely when he spots an advertisement in a local paper for a remote Scottish cottage that would suit a writer.
And so begins the journey to pastures new, where Graham must live off the fat of the land, repairing and furnishing the cottage largely with driftwood and just about any resources he can find lying around in and around the bay.
Graham's love interest is local doctor Mary (Played by Virginnia McKenna), and between Graham, Mary, Mij and Mary's dog, the four become close companions as they face new challenges with the change of seasons.
A relaxed setting and pace, this film is an absolute must for a dreary afternoon but do get the tissues at the ready!
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