RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
This article contains spoilers for the film Ballad of a Small Player.
Gambling addictions, guilty pasts, casinos, and a scenic city all come together to tell the rise and fall of Lord Doyle in Edward Berger’s latest film, Ballad of a Small Player.
The film, adapted from the novel by Lawrence Osborne, is set in the bright and bustling city of Macau. Doyle, played by Colin Farrell, is living lavishly in a hotel, afforded by his endless wins at casinos across the city.
But beneath the shiny suits, champagne, and charisma is a man drowning in debt, and behind on his payments to the hotel.
Doyle is given three days to pay up, he sees this as no problem, assuming he can make up the cash by gambling away the problem at a casino, but he quickly loses, pushing him further and further into a crisis.
It’s not long until audiences find out that Doyle isn’t all he says he is, and he’s actually been hiding out in Macau after stealing money from a rich old lady.
While he’s been able to hide behind the masquerade of being rich, a new guest arrives at the hotel, Cynthia Blithe played by Tilda Swinton, and she knows everything.
Swinton’s character is a private investigator who threatens to expose Doyle if he does not return the fortune he stole.
This sends Lord Doyle through a spiral, desperately attempting to find a way to keep the mask on, or risk losing it all.
Through the backdrop of scenic Macau and stunning settings, Berger’s film effortlessly took viewers into the rich and vibrant world of Lord Doyle, and left audiences feeling amazed throughout the journey.
As the film goes on and Doyle draws closer and closer to a dead end, we begin to see his mental state represented through his physical appearances, often appearing sweaty, dirty, and one may even say musty.
While only a small detail, seeing the physical demise of someone who was once prim and proper made viewers feel a sense of empathy for a man who one may say did not deserve it.
And that’s truly what this film relies on most, the emotional intensity of the story and the film itself, this is not a film that is filled with action, fight scenes, and gore, but rather the human experience and the search for abundance in a world that struggles with greed.
Those themes play out in ways that are both vibrant but also subtle, but while there were often slow and underwhelming moments and scenes in the film’s plot, the execution of these themes make for a film worth watching.
All of this being brought together by a stellar performance by Farrell, who was able to capture Doyle’s character and remain grounded in his role.
It’s important to know going into the film that it feels more like a character study, rather than an intense action-filled story. This film is about the characters, why we do what we do, and how we find redemption in a world filled with guilt.
It’s a conversation starter, filled with twists and turns, meant to get audiences thinking.
The film releases in theatres on Oct. 15 and on Netflix on Oct. 29.
