Colin Farrell Does All He Can To Keep ‘Ballad Of A Small Player’ Afloat

Colin Farrell is one of the best actors working today. Director Edward Berger’s last two films, 2022’s All Quiet on the Western Front and 2024’s Conclave, received critical acclaim and earned many awards. Putting these two creative powerhouses together seems to be a recipe for something truly special. It is then a shame that Ballad of a Small Player falls short of such lofty expectations and ultimately delivers little in terms of emotional resonance.

Produced by Good Chaos, Stigma Films, and Nine Hours, Ballad of a Small Player is a British psychological drama based off Lawrence Osborne’s book of the same name. In addition to Farrell, it stars Tilda Swinton, Fala Chen, Deanie Ip, and Alex Jennings. The plot follows Lord Doyle, played by Farrell, a washed-up gambler currently in Macau who is running away from his past and his debts. Doyle attempts to recoup his money at the baccarat table in casinos, but his luck is poor. After yet another loss, he meets a mysterious credit broker named Dao Ming, played by Chen, whom Doyle comforts through her guilt. The pair develop a connection with Doyle assuring her his fortune will turn in both their favours. However, an investigator named Cynthia Blithe, played by Swinton, is hot on his tail for his past misdeeds, and Doyle must evade her whilst also recouping his losses in addition to battling his self-destructive tendencies and addiction.

The first thing that will stand out to a viewer is the how the film looks. It is gorgeous, plain and simple. Those familiar with Berger’s previous work, specifically All Quiet on the Western Front, know of his talent for making visually stunning films. Alongside the aforementioned film’s Oscar-winning cinematographer James Friend, Berger brings the best out of Macau, pairing excellent shot composition with brilliant color choices to bring the city and casinos to life. Yet, they also know when to strip back on the color in moments of despair, but even in less extravagant settings, the film maintains its visual style and remains a feast for the eyes throughout. There are, however, instances where the color grading and style can feel inconsistent. Certain scenes feel like they have a completely different palette, not as a stylistic choice or as a method for deep visual storytelling, but almost like a mistake.

Further complementing the visuals is the oppressive score from a frequent collaborator of Berger, Oscar winner Volker Bertelmann. Much like Berger’s previous films, the score is overwhelming and grandiose. It elevates every scene in which it features, making the audience feel as if the walls are closing in on Doyle. The music heightens the stakes, but also knows when to be subtle and understated, letting the performances and visuals talk rather than forcing the audience to feel certain emotions. Admittedly, there are moments where the score is overbearing to the point of taking away from the film, but these moments are few and far between.

There are many shining lights in this film, but the light that absolutely shines the brightest is Colin Farrell as Lord Doyle. His performance is nothing short of brilliant. Doyle is a complex mix of suave confidence hiding a broken shell of a man barely held together by sheer desperation. Farrell sells Doyle’s desperation and addiction perfectly, showing true commitment to the role. He is able to balance all these different facets of the character whilst also showing restraint in the quieter moments. Perhaps his finest moment is towards the end, as Doyle grieves in front of a fire. Farrell lets his subtle facial expressions do all the storytelling.

The supporting cast all turn in decent performances too. Tilda Swinton certainly shines, and Fala Chen gives Dao Ming the appropriate amount of mystery and sincerity. Everyone gives it their all.

But not even the best visual splendor or the best performances can save a script that ultimately feels underwritten and aimless. Farrell gives it his all, but Doyle unfortunately feels more like a caricature rather than a true character in his own right. Tales of self-destruction through addiction have been done time and time again, and this film’s story brings very little new to the table. Doyle’s character arc feels less informed by his decisions as a character, but more the plot driving him to his logical endpoint. Even then, his arc is confusing, as the film does not seem to really tackle his addiction at a deeper level. The overall theme of addiction ultimately feels very surface level, and by the end, Doyle does not necessarily overcome it. He simply says he is done with it, and that is the end of it.

The film also feels confused as to what it really wants to be. At the start, it appears to be a black comedy with elements of a psychological drama. The second act seems to pivot hard towards full blown psychological drama before the film then decides to throw in surrealism into the mix. Doyle randomly begins to hallucinate without any build-up or prior instances, and these moments are incredibly underwhelming, which would lead a viewer to believe that they were simply thrown in at the last minute because the film was not long enough. The second act does feel particularly padded out with Doyle’s prolonged spiral, which feels gratuitous at a certain point. When he does eventually win big, the film decides to subject the audience to yet another sequence of his descent. It’s all well-acted and beautifully made, but it feels hollow and tacked on. The audience gets the point, but the film continues to drag its feet up until the point that Doyle decides to go all-in.

All these issues within the script ultimately leave the film with little to say about tackling addiction or dependency. If anything, the film might actually insinuate that the only way to escape your debts is to keep trying until it all inevitably works out, which feels incredibly contradictory. Perhaps if the film committed to a more tragic end for Doyle, then maybe its message could have truly landed. But the film tries to have both joy and tragedy in its ending, and thus succeeds at delivering neither.

Overall, it is such a shame that Ballad of a Small Player falls short in the script and story department, because the effort in all other aspects is truly commendable. Colin Farrell is sublime, the direction and cinematography are marvellous, and the score is great. But it’s all in service of a repetitive and aimless story that can’t decide what it wants to be and doesn’t deliver where it really matters. Fans of Colin Farrell will be left very satisfied, and the film is definitely an excellent showcase of his talents. But those looking for something deeper should best search elsewhere.