Edward Berger makes a dramatic and thematic shift from his previous movie Conclave with Ballad of a Small Player. Conclave was a taut, fictional feature about the secretive papal elections at the Vatican. Ballad of a Small Player, which is out on Netflix, is an occasionally tense, atmospheric and over-stylised character study set in Macau’s glittering gambling halls.

Adapted by screenwriter Rowan Joffe from Lawrence Osborne’s 2014 novel, the film explores cycles of addiction and greed against a backdrop of ritual, superstition and neon decadence. Colin Farrell plays Lord Doyle, a British gambler with mounting debts and a troubled past.

He’s anything but a small player. Moving restlessly between tables, Doyle is drawn to chance and is perpetually on the run. Farrell gives a sharp, feverish performance, capturing Doyle’s alternating charm and desperation, sweating profusely as the odds close in.

The actor holds back just enough even in moments of gluttony, moral collapse and epiphany, embodying a man who can’t stop chasing a win he knows will destroy him, somebody who can no longer distinguish reality from illusion.

The visual language mirrors that inner chaos. Cinematographer James Friend shoots Macau with a mix of allure and unease: glassy reflections, gaudy fountains, endless casino floors, tight close-ups, quiet waterfronts and the constant pulse of artificial light.

Berger’s direction alternates between the hectic pace of the gambling floor and dreamlike interludes. Editor Nick Emerson cuts between these extremes, echoing Doyle’s fractured mindset. The result is occasionally disorienting but effectively captures the unpredictability of addiction, where time, money and consequence blur.

Tilda Swinton adds a strange energy as a woman tasked with bringing Doyle to account. The evolution of their relationship is one of the film’s more intriguing threads, though the execution of her character feels detached and her motivations underwritten.

Fala Chen plays Dao Ming, a local woman whose enigmatic demeanour offers a fleeting glimpse of compassion and a possible lifeline for Doyle. Dao Ming too is an underdeveloped character, her influence on Doyle feeling too convenient.

Running beneath the personal story is an exploration of Macau’s cultural and spiritual life. The film is set during the Hungry Ghost Festival, when offerings are made to wandering spirits. Berger weaves this tradition subtly into the narrative. The rituals mirror Doyle’s haunted existence, hinting at the faint possibility of redemption.

Despite hypnotic visuals and committed performances, Ballad of a Small Player struggles to find emotional momentum. The narrative often feels inert. The psychological exploration of addiction and moral decay lacks depth. Berger’s Macau shimmers with allure, but the story beneath it fails to fully engage. The film dazzles visually but never quite hits the emotional jackpot.

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