Colin Farrell in Ballad of A Small Player @TIFF 50

Those films that use the backdrop of casinos are always visually appealing. This time around instead of using the classic Las Vegas backdrop we travel to Macao, China where the film focuses on the luck of an international high roller. The Ballad of A Small Player made its premiere at TIFF 50 and Oscar nominee Colin Farrell plays Lord Freddy Doyle. Adapted by Rowan Joffe’s novel Before I Go to Sleep, the audience is introduced to this man of mystery as he resides in a luxurious hotel, deep within the riches of the casino life in Macao. He gets ready for a night of gambling after it looks like he has had plenty of those nights. The audience learns that the Lord has some high debts to pay and that he is down on his luck and perhaps even his last penny.

As he plays Baccarat with of the biggest players in the city of Macao, Lord Freddy Doyle meets a casino hostess Dao Ming, played by Fala Chen, who may be able to help him out. The two strike an interesting romance as they share simila backgrounds and monetary problems. She is seen more of a line of credit to the casino world but there are layers to who she is as Freddy figures out. While Freddy is chasing her, someone is else is chasing Freddy. Cynthia Blithe played by Tilda Swinton is on the hunt for the international high roller. Her mission is to make him stop running from his problems and to pay his dues. Nevertheless, Lord Freddy Doyle is trying to play the odds which is his luck is about to turn around for the better because he’s already been at rock bottom for time.

Ballad of a Small Player is a unique character study of a man who is down on his luck but seeking that turning point. That point where dreams are made of of which is where everything falls into place. But you can see in this film that Collin Farrell struggles through his emotions and behaviour when his addiction to gambling gets the best of him. But luck is on his side as he stays alive after every losing hand he bets digging himself a deeper hole every time. The casino gods are always giving him an extra life to turn his life around and learn the lesson that he needs to learn before he starts winning again.

This is quite the different film that director Edward Berger presents this year at TIFF 50. Known for last year’s Oscar nominated film Conclave and All Quiet on the Western Front the previous year, Berger this time stays away from a periodical piece. But what makes Ballad of A Small Player exciting is cinematographer James Friend putting the seedy character of Lord Freddy Doyle against the backdrop of the rich and colourful Macao, China. Through this fine cinematography, the audience is immersed in the contrast making you emphatic and cheering on a lowlife character like Lord Freddy Doyle. FERNTV warns that this is not for the faint hearted. Especially those who had problems with gambling.

Ballad of a Small Player will be released on Netflix on October 29th