Ballad of a Small Player

Name: Ballad of a Small Player
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Released: October 15, 2025
Duration: 101 min
Rating: 46

2025

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Mixed or average reviews based on 29 Critic Reviews

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Movie Details & Credits

Netflix | Release Date: October 15, 2025 | Not Rated

Summary: Lord Doyle (Colin Farrell) is laying low in Macau — spending his days and nights on the casino floors, drinking heavily and gambling what little money he has left. Struggling to keep up with his fast-rising debts, he is offered a lifeline by the mysterious Dao Ming (Fala Chen), a casino employee with secrets of her own. However, in hotLord Doyle (Colin Farrell) is laying low in Macau — spending his days and nights on the casino floors, drinking heavily and gambling what little money he has left. Struggling to keep up with his fast-rising debts, he is offered a lifeline by the mysterious Dao Ming (Fala Chen), a casino employee with secrets of her own. However, in hot pursuit is Cynthia Blithe (Tilda Swinton) — a private investigator ready to confront Doyle with what he is running from. As Doyle tries to climb to salvation, the confines of reality start to close in.… Expand

Genre(s): Drama, Mystery, Thriller

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 101 min

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Critic Reviews

Chris Knight

Oct 17, 2025

Still, it’s a fascinating psychological thriller, a ghost story with (as Dickens would say) more gravy than grave in its construction. Read full review

Jesse Hassenger

Oct 15, 2025

The movie illustrates the gambler’s lifestyle almost too clearly; it’s a great example of how big, splashy victories can still feel like too little, too late. Read full review

Donald Clarke

Oct 15, 2025

A classy film that doesn’t entirely make sense. Read full review

The Playlist Gregory Ellwood

Aug 31, 2025

Despite a “you can see it coming” final baccarat game in the third act, designed to crowd-please, it all somehow feels flat and generic. And, worse, decidedly not fresh. Read full review

Alissa Wilkinson

Oct 29, 2025

Ballad of a Small Player contains a great story, but it’s bogged down by its trappings. Perhaps it just got a little too greedy. Read full review

Tim Grierson

Sep 9, 2025

Playfully, almost proudly shallow as it feeds off the feverish highs and lows of its addicted protagonist, this neo-noir offers plenty of buzzy delight — that is, until the story’s pretensions bring down the whole house of cards. Read full review

Glenn Whipp

Oct 16, 2025

It’s an overload of overkill, yet as tedious and empty as the last day of a 72-hour trip to Vegas when the novelty has worn off and you just want to go home and sleep. Read full review

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