'Ballad of a Small Player' Review: A Visually Stunning Film with a Predictable Climax

German auteur Edward Berger follows his Oscar-nominated hit Conclave with another highly stylized adaptation of a troubled protagonist facing significant turmoil in Ballad of a Small Player. Colin Farrell leads the drama as a lying, cheating and profusely sweaty con-man on the run from gambling debts in neon-soaked Macau. His gaudy dress and arrogant demeanor fools no one as a precipitous decline leads to a desperate quest for redemption. Ballad of a Small Player gets top marks for Farrell’s intimate performance and the stunning cinematography, but falls short as a psychological thriller. An obvious narrative fails to capture the twists and fleshed-out secondary characters from Lawrence Osborne’s critically acclaimed 2014 novel.

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