Telluride Review: Ballad of a Small Player is a Tasty, Delightfully Wicked Experience

      In "Ballad of a Small Player," we are treated to a performance by Colin Farrell that is delightfully over-the-top. No one does it quite like him, and to overlook this would be a disservice. The film, written by Rowan Joffé (adapted from Lawrence Osborne’s 2014 novel) and directed by Edward Berger, features Farrell as a gambler who refers to himself as Lord Doyle. He finds himself in Macau, known as the "Las Vegas of Asia," and is nearly broke, drowning in debt and unable to resist the allure of gambling. At his last hope of a casino willing to accept his bets, he encounters Dao Ming (Fala Chen), seeing in her a possible way out of his troubles. This premise is, of course, absurd—much like much of "Ballad of a Small Player."

      Berger has mastered the art of highbrow absurdity, making it his signature style. Composer Volker Bertelmann returns with a score that is equally bold and extravagant—these are indeed praises. This is an entertaining yet bleak film—maximalism at its utmost. Cinematographer James Friend, who won an Academy Award for "All Quiet on the Western Front," collaborates once more with Berger to showcase a vibrant palette throughout the story. There isn’t a shade of pink that isn’t enhanced by striking lighting. Macau is depicted as a neon-lit inferno, a place where aspirations flourish only to quickly transform into nightmares.

      Tilda Swinton delivers a hilariously eccentric supporting performance as a mysterious figure seeking Lord Doyle, symbolizing the past he's trying to escape. The chemistry between Farrell and Swinton—who both appeared in Tim Roth’s unsettling "The War Zone" 25 years ago, though Farrell had a minor role then—is remarkable. With dynamic, unconventional camera angles that would make Kenneth Branagh blush, Berger and Friend create a continuously engaging visual experience. Card games in films are often dull; however, this is not the case here. Just look at Lord Doyle’s flamboyant playing gloves or how he manipulates the cards to peek at his hand.

      The third act of the film is foreshadowed heavily, yet it remains a pleasure to witness its development. Under Berger's direction and with Farrell in the lead, subtlety is absent, and nuance is non-existent. This is a grand, alcohol-fueled opera, a morality tale steeped in extravagance. The finest gambling movies understand that winning can be the most frightening outcome. Although Fala Chen’s Dao Ming feels underutilized and Alex Jennings’ brief appearance is so compelling that it leaves the audience wanting more, Berger’s attention is rightly focused on Farrell.

      He is a performer who has embraced his vulnerabilities—the misaligned widow’s peak (a Farrell signature that oddly suits him), the pencil mustache, and the questionable accent. Farrell’s portrayal of a mediocre actor stands out as some of his finest work. Berger understands that when his lead poses the question, “More or less?” the answer should be, “More. Much, much more.” "Ballad of a Small Player" is a deliciously wicked thrill.

      "Ballad of a Small Player" had its premiere at the Telluride Film Festival and will be released in theaters on October 15, followed by its Netflix debut on October 29.