Do you believe in miracles? Nestled in the mountains of Colorado, onstage at the Palm Theatre, apparently Oscar-winning “Conclave” director Edward Berger and Oscar-nominated actor Colin Farrell do.
During a post-screening Q&A at the 52nd Telluride Film Festival they chatted with each other about how Berger’s streak of luck — which includes winning the Best International Film Oscar for 2022’s “All Quiet on the Western Front” and following that up with last year’s awards darling “Conclave” — began when Mike Goodrich placed the 2014 Lawrence Osborne novel, “The Ballad of a Small Player,” on his radar.
The two admitted this cinematic collaboration serves as their most intimate and personal to date, a story set in Macau that seamlessly blends comedy, romance and the supernatural into a thematically rich narrative about a man trying to outrun his debts in the Asian gambling capital.
From the very first verbal expletive uttered by our leading man, Farrell’s Doyle displays a flamboyant, intense lifestyle while racing to hide his pressures of the past. All the while, with hopes and dreams that Lady Luck will allow him to live another day, enjoying the future riches he has worked so hard to obtain.
At times evoking the feeling of a modernized film noir, Berger is never shy about making the audience live on an uncomfortable edge. Doyle’s craving for alcohol, drugs and skipping out on financial responsibilities leaves him with the seemingly impossible task of settling a bill of 145,000HKD (or just over $18,000) in three days — or else.
In addition to creating a brilliantly engaging narrative, Berger’s sense of cinematic style is enhanced all the way from his production and costume design to the extreme close ups that have assisted in defining his cinematic style. The use of hues like red, green and mustard, threaded often throughout his films, establish the faux aristocrats’ attire as one associated with the power of wealth and the Chinese belief of warding off evil.
Campy and bombastic at its core, this is ultimately a movie about second chances. What would you do if given another opportunity to make amends to those you have caused irreparable harm?
Someone who knows a heap about second chances, Colin Farrell, pulls out his acting arsenal in spades, creating an unforgettably flawed yet charming man. Farrell has arguably experienced enough in his lifetime, which clearly has informed how he executes Doyle with raw grace, honesty and sexuality.
Building onto an already stellar performance is the welcomed eccentricity of the amazing Tilda Swinton and quiet fire of confidence by Fala Chen (Dao Ming). As polar opposites on every visceral level, these women provide the perfect bookends to the madness of our lead protagonist. For Chen, Dao Ming offers Doyle a lifeline that ignites their relationship and supposedly opens the door to her redemption.
Both are seeking inner peace and salvation but accomplishing it in very different ways. Dao Ming thinks that, by helping Doyle, her spirit will be cleansed. Chen goes toe to toe with Farrell and their chemistry is undeniable. By contrast, Cynthia Blithe (Swinton) is hot on his tail, eager to present Doyle with what he is running from. Swinton leans all the way into the craziness of Blithe all the from her stylized hiccup walk to her puck rock, pink eyeglasses.
The supernatural elements are sporadic and fleeting, but if you are really paying attention, you realize Doyle is glimpsing the demon of his sins within his reflection. His gluttony for gambling and money is expertly played out metaphorically through several scenes of Farrell eating like it’s the last supper — scenes that were shot in one take.
At the end of the day, “Ballad of a Small Player” is a master class in exposing one’s inability to feel shame, greed or sorrow while being reminded that sometimes karma will come for you and other times, she might let you slide for just one more chance to get it right.
Netflix will release “The Ballad of a Small Player” in select theaters on Oct. 15 and on Netflix on Oct. 29.