BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER

Colin Farrell stars as Lord Doyle, a gambling addict living in Macau under a false identity. As his mounting debts spiral out of control, he desperately seeks one last big win. He meets and falls in love with Dao Ming (Fala Chen), a casino employee, while trying to avoid private investigator Cynthia Blithe (Tilda Swinton), who confronts Doyle about his shady past. Set amid the opulent, grand hotels of Macau, this film has stunning visuals that capture the city’s exotic beauty. Combined with crisp and intense sound, reminiscent of ‘The Substance’, it is a feast for the senses. Farrell does a decent job of portraying lonely, broken down Doyle as he edges closer to rock bottom. He is determined to binge to excess before his deception finally catches up with him. Swinton’s casting felt off though. Her performance didn’t quite fit the tone of the film and she came across as a caricature of a middle-aged, single woman with a dowdy sense of style. The plot falls into cliche territory with Doyle repeatedly succumbing to his addiction before seeking redemption, but has an unexpected twist near the end which I didn’t see coming. A story of frenetic self-destruction and chaos.