Pleasantly surprised by BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER, despite what felt like a raft of mediocre reviews. Edward Berger's follow-up to his superb CONCLAVE has style to spare and a beautifully haunting examination of addiction, redemption and spiritual awakening. I am only docking it a star because I felt like the costume choices for Tilda Swinton's character were so outlandish as to become comic, and undercut the emotion and gravity of the story.
The Penguin's Colin Farrell stars as Reilly, a gambling addict and conman posing as an aristocrat in Macao. He is desperate for a big win at the Baccarat tables and his only source of credit is a casino waitress/black market credit broker called Dao Ming (Fala Chen). Meanwhile a British debt collector called Blithe (Swinton) is on his trail. He goes on an insane bender, forges a deep emotional relationship with Dao Ming, and arguably Blithe too, and suddenly his lucks comes almost miraculously good. The existential question is what he will do with that good fortune.
The film is showcase for Farrell's ridiculous acting talent and willingness to mine the very depths of human depravity and vulnerability. It's also a showcase for cinematographer James Friend and his stunning visuals of rainstorm-drenched Macao. I felt utterly immersed in this world, and utterly invested in Reilly's story. I was rooting for him even as he self-sabotaged. I also loved the thematics, but can't really discuss them here without spoiling the plot. Suffice to say that those familiar with certain genre of Chinese film-making will not be disappointed.
BALLAD OF A SMALL PLAYER is rated R and has a running time of 101 minutes. It is available to watch on Netflix. It played Telluride, Toronto, San Sebastian and London.
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