STORYLINE: Lord Doyle 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, a casino employee with secrets of her own. However, in hot pursuit is Cynthia Blithe 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. (IMDb)

  The recent, independent film, Ballad of a Small Player is the latest film, in a wide variety of films, about gambling.  Any conversation. about gambling films must include the Robert Redford/Paul Newman heist film The Sting, from 1976.  One of my personal favorites is Molly’s Game (2017), starring Jessica Chastian abd Idris Elba.  Of course, I must mention that thete have been comedies, like Will Ferrell’s The House (2017).   However, like I previously stated, the topic at hand, is Ballad of a Small Player, starring Colin Farrell.

   Through the gaze of a thriller, Ballad of a Small Player, focuses  on the struggles of a gambling addiction.  Much like other addictions, the film shows, the lengths gamblers go to, to feed their addiction.  Additionally the rush they get from the highs, as well as the lows from the crash, and the trouble that the addiction can cause.

    Ballad of a Small Player is also a thriller.  The plot features twists and turns, they are designed to entertain the those watching. While the film hits those marks, the twists and turns are not complicated. That does not stop the film from being entertaining. 

    Part of the cast is Tilda Swinton. The biggest flaw is under utilizing her.  The catch is her character doesn’t require additional screen time to move the plot forward.  That doesn’t stop me from wa ting an additional screen or two with her.

    Ballad of a Small Player was an entertaining thriller with predictable twists and turns.  I’m glad I saw it because I like seeing movies on the big screen, and I got to support a local, independent theater.

   Until next time I will see you at the movies!