‘Ballad of a Small Player’ Review: A Fully Committed Colin Farrell Bets the House in a Too-Flashy Portrait of Addiction

‘Ballad of a Small Player’ Review: A Fully Committed Colin Farrell Bets the House in a Too-Flashy Portrait of Addiction

When does a gambling habit become a gambling problem? Is it when you’re down to your last wadded-up banknote, which you keep stuffed in your sock till all else has been spent? Or maybe it’s that extreme moment you’re forced to fake your own death, just to throw off your creditors. Surely things have gotten out of hand when the British government sends a private detective (who looks an awful lot like Tilda Swinton) all the way to Macau to collect…

‘Ballad of a Small Player’ Review: Colin Farrell Is Dealt a Bad Hand in a Macau-Set Netflix Thriller About a Gambler on the Brink of Losing it All

Edward Berger's "Conclave" follow-up seems like a decent bet on paper, but its story desperately needs to be reshuffled.

‘Ballad Of A Small Player’ Review: Colin Farrell Unforgettable As Con Man In Edward Berger’s Dizzying And Dazzling Fever Dream Of A Movie – Telluride Film Festival

In the opening moments of Edward Berger’s new film, Ballad Of A Small Player, Colin Farrell, as a con man hiding from his past in Macau, groggily tries to climb out of bed, rubbing his eyes, and simply says, “Oh, f*ck!” It is a great beginning, even if it did remind me of myself after the alarm rudely awakened me at 7:30 a.m. for this 9:00 a.m. screening after being up until 2:15 a.m. writing my Hamnet review. Nevertheless, it got my attention…

‘Ballad of a Small Player’ Review: Colin Farrell’s Charm Can’t Save Edward Berger’s Hollow Redemption Tale

Colin Farrell and Tilda Swinton star in 'Ballad of a Small Player,' Edward Berger's drama about a con man and gambler hiding out in Macau.