I got to check out Ballad of a Small Player a little early ahead of its release on Netflix, and this is the latest film directed by Edward Berger, who’s been on a real streak the last few years. Between All Quiet on the Western Front and Conclave, he’s become one of those names you just associate with prestige filmmaking — the kind of director whose work tends to get awards attention and critical love. So when I heard he had a new film coming, I was immediately intrigued. Add in Colin Farrell, Tilda Swinton, and Fala Chen, and my excitement was definitely there.
The film follows a high-stakes gambler hiding out in Macau as his debts and past mistakes start catching up with him. While lying low, he meets someone who might just change the course of his life — or at least force him to look at who he’s become.
Right from the start, Ballad of a Small Player completely gripped me visually. The cinematography is stunning — it’s one of those movies that you can pause at any random moment and it would look like a painting. The camera work, lighting, costume design, and overall production are top-notch. From a filmmaking standpoint, this is easily one of the most visually beautiful films I’ve seen this year.
And then there’s Colin Farrell. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — I don’t think I’ve ever seen this guy give a bad performance. He’s always captivating, and here he’s at the center of this story about a man consumed by greed, excess, and addiction. He’s spiraling — whether it’s through gambling, drinking, or overindulgence — and Farrell completely sells that sense of quiet self-destruction. You can feel the layers of regret underneath every smug smile or desperate outburst.
As much as I loved the craft and Farrell’s performance, though, I can’t say the story hooked me all the way through. It’s one of those weird cases where the movie’s pacing is actually solid — it never feels too long — but by the time you get to the end, you realize not much has really happened. The movie sets up an interesting idea early on, but doesn’t do enough with it. You get the sense that it’s about something — greed, guilt, redemption — but it never dives deep enough into those themes to really hit hard.
The supporting performances are good across the board. Tilda Swinton brings her usual grace and intensity, and Fala Chen shares some nice chemistry with Farrell early on, but both feel underused. Their characters are important to his journey, but they don’t feel fully fleshed out, which keeps some of the emotional beats from landing as strongly as they could have.
By the time the credits rolled, I was left thinking the same thing I felt halfway through — Ballad of a Small Player is a beautiful movie that doesn’t always feel as rich as it looks. It’s well-paced, well-acted, and well-shot, but emotionally, it just didn’t connect with me the way I hoped it would.
That said, this isn’t a bad film by any means. It’s one of those movies that’s easy to admire even if it doesn’t totally grab you. The craftsmanship alone makes it worth watching, and I think cinephiles and fans of Colin Farrell will get a lot out of it. But if you’re expecting something as powerful or layered as All Quiet on the Western Front or Conclave, you might come away feeling a bit underwhelmed.
At the end of the day, Ballad of a Small Player is a film I respect more than I love — a technically gorgeous, well-acted piece that just doesn’t have quite enough story or emotional punch to make it great.
Rating: 5.5/10