In the awkwardly titled Ballad of a Small Player, Netflix and Colin Farrell attempt to turn a mid-grade gambling drama into an awards contender—a “go big or go broke” attempt that unfortunately goes broke.
About an expat living beyond his means in Macau, Ballad of a Small Player depicts a pathetic man with a gambling addiction, mounting debts, and a private investigator on his tail. He has health issues and loads of stress, and really not much worth living for.
There’s really not much to see here, either, even if it’s an “entertaining enough” watch. Flushed with vibrant color and a wedge of edginess that you wish were sharper, Ballad of a Small Player is easy to digest. It’s just that there isn’t much flavor or texture. Hollywood has more than a few great movies about gambling addicts and casinos, and Ballad simply plays a predictable game. The picture, but Edward Berger (Conclave, one of 2024’s best films) smells more of desperation rather than dealing with a confident hand, and the tells are telling.
Farrell, a constant source of extreme talent, is good here, though a memorable role this is not. You can see him straining to elevate the material, but it just doesn’t budge. Farrell may be miscast, too, as much as it pains me to admit that one of my favorite actors can’t do everything; his character is a bit of a scumbag but he’s way too easy to sympathize with. There is really nothing redeeming about this guy, and yet he’s oddly likable in the way that Farrell is always oddly likable. His redemption arc may have felt more earned if the actor were able to convince us he was more of a scoundrel out of the gate.
Ballad of a Small Player isn’t without its bursts of luck, but it’s so immensely forgettable thanks to a seen-before plot and, I hate to say it, a pretty unremarkable lead character. You could spend two hours doing much worse, but best to fold your hand before you hit play.
Review by Erik Samdahl. Erik is a marketing and technology executive by day, avid movie lover by night. He is a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society.