Movie · 2025 · Crime, Drama · 1h 41m · R · English
Curator score: 1.1/10 (91.4K ratings)
Overview
Amid the glittering casinos of Macau, a gambler running from his past—and his debts—becomes fascinated by an enigmatic woman at the baccarat table.
Ratings
Curator score: 1.1/10
IMDb: 5.9/10
Letterboxd: 2.73/5
Metacritic: 46
TMDB: 5.8/10
Director
Edward Berger
Production
Good Chaos, Stigma Films, Nine Hours
Cast
Colin Farrell, Fala Chen, Tilda Swinton, Deanie Ip, Alex Jennings, Jason Tobin, Adrienne Lau, Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Jessica Lai, Margaret Cheung, Alan K. Chang, Selena Fong, Christina Yong, Suen Tsz-Wai, Suki Wong, Kwok Wai-Yan, Willy Wong, Gary Fong, Ashley Lam Kae-Ning, Mel Lau
Where to watch
Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Curator Review
Verdict
A glossy Macau-set neo-noir with strong star power, striking costumes, and a seductive casino atmosphere, but the consensus points to a thin, derivative story that never fully cashes in on its premise. Worth it if you’re mainly here for mood, performance, and visual design; less so if you want a sharp gambling drama with real emotional stakes.
Best for
Viewers who prioritize style, atmosphere, and production design
Fans of sweaty, self-destructive antiheroes
People who enjoy neon-lit crime dramas set in glamorous international locales
Colin Farrell or Tilda Swinton completists
Skip if
You want a tightly plotted gambling thriller
You’re allergic to style-over-substance filmmaking
You need a fresh take on addiction or noir
You prefer films with strong thematic payoff
Overview
Ballad of a Small Player is built like a luxury trap: polished, expensive-looking, and designed to make self-destruction feel glamorous for as long as possible. Edward Berger stages Macau as a fever dream of mirrors, baccarat tables, and fluorescent exhaustion, while Colin Farrell leans hard into the role of a man who has already lost the argument with himself.
Worth noting
The film’s biggest asset is its surface. The costumes, lighting, and sense of humid, sleepless drift give it a strong pulse, and Tilda Swinton adds a welcome jolt whenever she appears. But the story itself feels familiar and undercooked, circling the same addiction beats without finding much new to say.
Bottom line
If you’re in the mood for a sleek, melancholy crime picture that runs on vibes, it has enough going for it to keep you watching. If you want something deeper than a beautifully dressed descent into ruin, this one may leave you cold.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Karsten (2.5★) · 1688 likes
you should never have to think to yourself “nicholas winding refn would’ve done a better job”
Sethsreviews (2★) · 963 likes
Dressed well, but I can’t say I was particularly interested in this fairly monotonous tale of self-destruction through dependency. Doesn't stand by itself: feels more than derivative. and each potentially critical passage appears to come and go without much thought. Visually stimulating, yeah, but about as deep as a damn puddle. Shame 2 of the best working are in this.
allain♡ · 905 likes
reminder that most gamblers quit right before they're about to hit big. you can win 2000%++ of your money, but only lose 100%. do the math. keep. on. gambling.
john (3★) · 760 likes
Colin Farrell is so sweaty in this. Both emotionally and physically.
davidehrlich (2★) · 586 likes
A deep-pocketed neon-noir starring Colin Farrell as an inveterate gambling addict and see-thru fraud who has three days to fork up the $45,000 USD he owes to his Macau hotel and casino (lest he be deported back to England, or worse), Edward Berger’s “Ballad of a Small Player” sounds like a mighty decent bet on paper. And yet something is off from the moment it starts with Farrell’s Lord Doyle groaning “fuck” into the bathroom mirror, as if he’s just… more A deep-pocketed neon-noir starring Colin Farrell as an inveterate gambling addict and see-thru fraud who has three days to fork up the $45,000 USD he owes to his Macau hotel and casino (lest he be deported back to England, or worse), Edward Berger’s “Ballad of a Small Player” sounds like a mighty decent bet on paper. And yet something is off from the moment it starts with Farrell’s Lord Doyle groaning “fuck” into the bathroom mirror, as if he’s just… more
1998 · Crime, Drama, Thriller · 2h 1m · R · Curator 8.0/10 (147.9K ratings) · Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video, MGM Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads
A slow-burn descent into greed and bad decisions where every choice feels like a trap closing.