Running Time: 102 minutes
This feature film is now available to stream on Netflix.
“The house always wins” is a popular gambling proverb that remains largely true. If it wasn’t, then it would be unlikely that any casino could remain in business. Still, that hasn’t stopped numerous individuals from trying to beat the odds. Most dabble just for fun, limiting themselves so that losses aren’t devastating. But some can’t resist the thrill and potential for earning riches (even if it is almost mathematically impossible). The new movie Ballad of a Small Player follows a desperate gambling addict hoping for a score to solve all his problems.
Lord Doyle (Colin Farrell) is a well-dressed, charming high-roller who bets big in various casinos across Macao, China. But while he claims to be a member of British royalty who can easily pay his debts with a call to his banker, the truth is murkier. He’s in the hole for a massive sum, and the hotel manager where he is staying is demanding he pay up. Another guest named Cynthia Blithe (Tilda Swinton) appears to be tailing him as well. And while he is friendly and gives large tips, he also owes casino employee Dao Ming (Fala Chen) for a fancy bottle of champagne he never paid for. As forces close in, sweat begins to pour down Doyle’s face and it becomes clear that he isn’t who he says he is, but rather a gambling addict in so much debt that his well-being is at risk. Of course, the only way he knows how to fix problems is to try and win it all back.
The first half features the desperate, fast-talking Doyle trying to continue his pursuits while preventing himself from being accosted by various parties around him. It’s a really fantastic performance from Farrell, who captures all aspects of being obsessed with the game. We see his love, desperation, fear, as well as a drinking problem, and more all on his face as he continues making questionable decisions and pushing his luck towards the brink. There’s a lot of dark humor as well, with Swinton amusing viewers as a pursuer who starts to admire Doyle’s tenacity and Chen is likable as the financially strapped employee who also decides to help out the lead. Even small parts, including a high-roller called Grandma (Deanie Ip) who taunts Doyle at the table, is fun to watch.
Additionally, the photography is outstanding. The wet streets of Macao bathed in neon look fantastic, as do the casino environments. And even the camera angles stand out. Doyle’s game is Baccarat (and you do get a primer on the card game so you know what’s going on when it is being played), and there are impressive shots featuring the camera under the cards as the protagonist slowly turns them over and peers at his hand. There are more wild shots like this, making the film visually inventive throughout.
For most of the movie, I was hooked seeing this gambling addict try to survive while forces from all sides close in, but the final act does deal a bad hand. The story suggests that greed and money are the root of all of Doyle’s problems. This is true and the sentiment is fine, but it’s handled in a heavy-handed and unconvincing manner. There’s a moment when the main character briefly gets a huge rush of joy, and one would expect this event to rationalize his erratic behavior and lead him down a significantly different path. Unfortunately, that is not what occurs. What follows feels cliched, on-the-nose and thrown together abruptly. There is a reasoning behind his final decisions, but because of what’s preceded it, it doesn’t feel believable.
But despite not being pleased with the ending, I still enjoyed the movie overall. The lead performance is phenomenal and a great deal of the story is a thrilling adrenaline rush that effectively captures the life of an addict and what compels them to continue putting themselves in financial risk and grave danger. Even if Ballad of a Small Player isn’t “La Grande” (to use a term from Baccarat), I’ll still give the house the edge in my rating.