Telluride Film Festival Review: ‘Ballad of a Small Player’ Finds Edward Berger Stylishly Sending Colin Farrell Off the Deep End

Watching a character fall apart can be very entertaining. When said character has it coming, yet also is oddly sympathetic, that just makes things even juicier. That’s the central conceit in Ballad of a Small Player, a showcase for the acting talents of Colin Farrell. It’s also further proof that Edward Berger can direct the hell out of any type of movie. Premiering at the Telluride Film Festival, it’s a distinctive flick with style to spare.

Ballad of a Small Player has some tonal issues and isn’t always sure whether it’s supposed to be purely fun or not, but Farrell pulls you through with a performance you can’t take your eyes off of. Whether he’s trying to talk his way out of debts, putting on the airs of high society, or binge eating, he’s nothing less than compelling. Along with Berger’s craftsmanship, you’re always curious what’s about to happen next.

Lord Doyle (Farrell) has been lying low in Macau for some time, holed up in a big hotel suite. He spends his time on casino floors, drinking heavily and gambling away his clearly dwindling resources. As we meet him, his debts are catching up to him, to the point where it’s clear that the walls are closing in. During a particularly desperate time at the Baccarat table, the mysterious casino employee Dao Ming (Fala Chen) offers him a potential lifeline.

Intriguing by Dao Ming and without other options, Doyle also discovers that he’s being pursued by private investigator Cynthia Blithe (Tilda Swinton), who needs him to face his past, as well as a potential reckoning. The more he’s confronted by his sins, the more he tries to make a deal. Through it all, reality becomes hazy for Doyle, to the point where his sanity becomes questionable.

Colin Farrell is doing some incredibly enjoyable work here, playing a man with nothing but facades. He’s relishing the part and absolutely dives in. I would have enjoyed even more first act scenes where he’s still showcasing Lord Doyle without any hint of his crumblings, though once he’s an overt mess, Farrell kicks it into a whole other gear. Fala Chen provides a heart and soul to things, even if she’s sort of in and out of the narrative. Her scenes with Farrell have a different flavor than the rest, as well as a presence that she just exudes. Tilda Swinton’s role is on the smaller side, but she’s having a real good time with it, especially as more layers to both her and Farrell’s characters come to light. Supporting players include Deanie lp, Alex Jennings, and more, though Farrell is the showcase.

Director Edward Berger shows more impressive versatility behind the camera. The formalness and grit of All Quiet on the Western Front gave way to a clever playfulness in Conclave, while here, he’s up to something entirely new. There’s a psychedelic and stylish element here, as well as a mixing of genres. Berger handles it all with aplomb, alongside cinematographer James Friend and composer Volker Bertelmann, both of whom are doing so much extra, in the best way possible.. The screenplay by Rowan Joffe, which adapts the novel The Ballad of a Small Player by Lawrence Osborne, is a little more scattershot. The tone can be all over the place, which Berger covers up with style, though there’s still an inconsistency in the writing that’s noticeable. It’s not a huge deal, but it does hold things back a touch.

Ballad of a Small Player succeeds on the backs of Berger and Farrell. It’s fun way for me to end night one of Telluride, even if there are times where it could stand to be even more fun. Still, the highs are more than high enough to overcome the few lower moments. A good film that’s nearly a great one, it’s sure to find many a fan when Netflix puts it out later on this year. The movie is also just further proof that Berger and Farrell are cinematic forces, with their brightest days somehow still to come.

SCORE: ★★★