Shadows on the Wall | Ballad of a Small Player

Ballad of a Small Player

dir Edward Berger
scr Rowan Joffe
prd Mike Goodridge, Edward Berger, Mathew James Wilkinson
with Colin Farrell, Fala Chen, Tilda Swinton, Deanie Ip, Alex Jennings, Anthony Wong, Jason Tobin, Alan K Chang, Gary Fong, Suki Wong, Margaret Cheung, Suen Tsz-Wai
release US/UK 17.Oct.25
25/US 1h41

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Sumptuous visuals elevate this offbeat odyssey about an unrepentant gambler who is sure that he'll hit a winning streak. Director Edward Berger deploys whizzy camerawork and dazzlingly colourful sets and costumes, while engagingly textured characters pull us in. There are also are a lot of fascinating details woven throughout the narrative, including some gorgeous local magical realism. So it's frustrating that the script never lands its knockout punch.

Languishing in Macau, an Irishman (Farrell) has fashioned himself as dandy gambler Lord Doyle, deflecting anyone who calls in debts, including his hotel's manager (Tobin). He knows this run of bad luck can't last much longer. One night playing baccarat alongside the indomitable Grandma (Ip), Doyle becomes entranced by Dao Ming (Chen), who might be able to loan him some more cash. But he discovers she has debts too. Meanwhile, private investigator Cynthia (Swinton) has tracked him down to demand that he repay nearly a million pounds he stole from her client back in England.

Scenes take place in lavish hotel suites and glorious casinos, as this depiction of Macau makes Las Vegas look like a kiddie playground. Drenched in sweat and out of breath, Doyle seems to know he's living on borrowed time, perpetually on the verge of a heart attack. But he clings to that faint glimmer of hope. His old-money friend Adrian (Jennings) taunts him about this, reminding Doyle that his playacting underestimates the savagery of the English upper class.

Farrell dives into the role with his entire physicality, especially in an interlude on a floating shack as he and Dao Ming escape from the city. Doyle wilfully ignores the painful repercussions of partying too hard and eating too much. Even disheveled, he can still charm people, so it's easy to see why Chen's knowing Dao Ming is willing to help him however she can. Swinton's hilariously fastidious Cynthia even gives in to his puppy-dog persona, although she clearly knows better.

Things get increasingly pointed as the story progresses, as Doyle's physical deterioration echoes the way he is losing his soul. He never simply goes to sleep, blacking out and waking up somewhere random after whatever happened the night before. And in his quest to finally turn the tide, he becomes blind to the fact that the odds are definitely not in his favour. As Adrian points out to him, winning kills you quicker than losing. And perhaps this is a lesson we all need to learn.

themes, language, violence 10.Oct.25 lff

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