Movie Review: ‘Ballad Of A Small Player’

by | Oct 28, 2025 | Featured Post, Movie Reviews, Movies | 0 comments


Greetings again from the darkness. It’s not Las Vegas. It’s not Monte Carlo. Somehow even more gamblers head to Asia, specifically the gambling capital of Macau … and that’s where this film from director Edward Berger (Oscar nominated for CONCLAVE, 2024) is set. Rowan Joffe (son of Roland Joffe, who directed THE KILLING FIELDS, 1984) has adapted the 2014 novel by Lawrence Osborne. That may be the last part of this that makes any sense.

Colin Farrell stars as Lord Doyle, a gambling addict laying low in his swanky hotel suite as he dodges those from whom he’s run up massive debts ($350k to the hotel). Lord Doyle presents himself as a high-roller aristocrat, but we quickly note he’s little more than a fraudster both in identity and wealth. A casino floor manager named Dao Ming (a lovely Fala Chen) takes pity on him as a ‘lost soul’ for no apparent reason, but it significantly impacts his direction. Hot on his trail is a Private Investigator named Cynthia Blithe (Oscar winner Tilda Swinton), hired by a woman whom Lord Doyle (under his real Irish name) bilked out of a large sum of money.

“All I need is one big score”. How many times have we heard a gambling addict state this? It’s a cliché, yet there are a few elements here that seem interesting and unusual. For some reason, the film seems to hit and run to the next point without ever giving us what we need. In other words, the structure is as messy as the constant rain on the streets of Macau. On the other hand, cinematographer James Friend (Oscar winner for Berger’s ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, 2022) turns Macau into a kaleidoscope of color and texture and beauty and danger. There are even a few times that the film tends to mirror the iconic visual style of director Wes Anderson.

For a guy that thrives on scamming folks, Lord Doyle’s choice of baccarat never makes any sense. Why choose a game that’s purely a game of chance/luck? As we struggle along with Doyle to keep up with the loose ends, a supernatural element appears, causing a shift in tone. It’s like dinner and dancing really did lead to an arrangement – only we weren’t present for it. The frantic pace is something Colin Farrell works very well. As I’ve stated in other reviews, he’s turned into a terrific actor who elevates every project. And though she’s underutilized here, Tilda Swinton continues to be an actor worth watching in any role. Watching the movie is entertaining enough, yet at its conclusion, we feel a bit cheated. Many that’s fitting after following Lord Doyle for 101 minutes.

Begins streaming on Netflix on October 29, 2025

David Ferguson
Latest posts by David Ferguson (see all)