Ballad of a Small Player Review: Style vs. Substance

Estimated reading time: 9 minutes

A Visual and Atmospheric Masterpiece

Some movies look so good you almost forget to care what they’re about. Ballad of a Small Player is one of them. The neon glow of Macau, the endless casino lights reflected in glasses of whiskey, and the sound of cards being shuffled like distant thunder create a state of pure visual intoxication. You can almost smell the cigarette smoke and desperation. However, once the spell wears off, you realize there’s not much underneath the shimmer.

The Players and the Plot

Colin Farrell stars as Lord Doyle, a once-successful gambler running from his debts and his past. He spends his nights wandering through Macau’s lavish casinos, betting what little he has left while slowly drowning in booze. When he crosses paths with Dao Ming (Fala Chen), a mysterious casino employee with her own ghosts, she becomes both a mirror and a lifeline. Then there’s Cynthia Blithe, played by Tilda Swinton, a private investigator who has been chasing Doyle across continents. She isn’t just after him; she’s after the truth he’s been trying to drink away.

Style Over Substance

As much as I wanted to love Ballad of a Small Player, I could not. It’s all style and no substance. Director Edward Berger clearly knows his craft. Every frame is slick, with the camera gliding through Macau’s neon dreamscapes like a ghost haunting the roulette wheel. The production design is stunning, opulent, surreal, and almost intoxicating—like Las Vegas on acid. Yet, the beauty of it all only reminds you how hollow the story feels.

The Problem with Lord Doyle

The real issue is Doyle himself. Farrell gives a committed performance, but the writing traps him in a loop of self-pity and empty gestures. He’s less a gambler and more a ghost of one, staggering from table to table like a man who forgot the game’s rules. He’s portrayed as a sad sack rather than a skilled player, lacking any danger or swagger. He comes off as a caricature or even a “cooler”—the kind of guy whose mere presence makes everyone else lose.

Bright Spots in the Cast

Fala Chen’s Dao Ming brings some much-needed life to the screen, radiating a quiet mystery that feels deeper than the script allows. Swinton, as always, delivers in her brief but pointed appearances, though her role feels more symbolic than essential. The film flirts with ideas of fate, redemption, and illusion but never takes a firm stand on any of them.

A Frustrating Final Act

By the final act, Ballad of a Small Player drifts into surreal territory, blurring the lines between reality and fever dream. It’s beautiful to look at but frustrating to feel. The visuals promise grandeur, yet the emotional payoff never lands.

Verdict: A Divisive Gamble

Ballad of a Small Player is a film that will divide audiences. If you’re in it for mood, texture, and hypnotic atmosphere, you might find it worth the gamble. But if you’re looking for story or connection, you’ll likely walk away empty-handed, just like Lord Doyle.

Pro Tip: Stick around for the mid-credit sequence. It’s fun.

Ballad of a Small Player is streaming now on Netflix

Details

• Rating Certificate: R (for language and suicide.)
• Studios & Distributors: Good Chaos | Nine Hours | Stigma Films | Netflix
• Director: Edward Berger
• Written By: Rowan Joffe (screenplay) | Lawrence Osborne (book)
• Country: United Kingdom | Germany
• Language: English | Cantonese
• Run Time: 101 Mins.
• Aspect Ratio: 2.20:1
• Release Date: 29 October 2025