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Ballad of a Small Player Debuts on Netflix as Reviews Divide Over Style and Story

Critics single out Colin Farrell’s performance, with reception divided over the screenplay.

Overview

  • Edward Berger’s adaptation of Lawrence Osborne’s novel begins streaming globally on Netflix today after a brief limited theatrical run.
  • Set and filmed in Macau, the film follows a debt-ridden high-roller with a fabricated persona as a private investigator closes in.
  • Colin Farrell’s lead turn draws widespread praise, with outlets also lauding James Friend’s neon-saturated cinematography and Volker Bertelmann’s score.
  • Reviewers are split on the writing, citing uneven pacing, repetitive beats, and a loss of the book’s interiority despite striking visuals and surreal touches.
  • Fala Chen and Tilda Swinton feature in key supporting roles, and outlets note there is an end-credits scene worth staying for.