Colin Farrell’s Divisive Addiction Drama Devours Competition on Streaming

Despite having faced the recent setback of A Big Bold Beautiful Journey flopping miserably at the box office, Colin Farrell seemingly had a comeback up his sleeve with the new Netflix release, Ballad of a Small Player. The latest from Conclave director Edward Berger, the dark comedy thriller features Farrell as a gambling addict caught in the hypnotic hellscape of Macau. After finding himself on the ropes one too many times, he goes on a last-ditch effort to repay his debts by joining hands with a mysterious local woman who seems to be under equal pressure. Ballad of a Small Player debuted on Netflix on October 30, and immediately secured a spot for itself on the most exclusive of tables: the streamer’s top 10 chart.

However, the movie has been facing stiff competition, not only from the holdover hit A House of Dynamite, but also from the new documentary film Aileen: Queen of the Serial Killers, based on the crimes of Aileen Wournos. On October 31, Ballad of a Small Player finished fifth on the domestic Netflix charts, while Queen of the Serial Killers topped the leader board. Meanwhile, A House of Dynamite remained the most popular Netflix movie across the globe, while Ballad of the Small Playertook the third spot on Netflix’s global charts on November 1. It beat out KPop Demon Hunters, the streamer’s biggest-ever hit.

Unlike Conclave, and even Berber’s breakout hit, the Netflix epic All Quiet on the Western Front, Ballad of a Small Player has received mixed reviews. The movie currently sits at a 48% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, where the critics’ consensus reads, “Going all in with a committed Colin Farrell and a memorably opulent presentation of Macau, Ballad of a Small Player too often squanders its virtues by doubling down on excess to diminishing returns.” In his review, Collider’s Ross Bonaime called the film a “rare miss” for Berger, and wrote that it is ultimately “a hollow, empty experience.”

Edward Berger Has Been in Talks for Several Major Projects

The filmmaker has expressed a desire to level up in his career; he was said to be in the running to helm the upcoming James Bond reboot, but lost the gig to Denis Villeneuve. He was also working on a new installment of the Jason Bourne series with Matt Damon eyed to return, and a possible new entry in the Ocean’s franchise. In an interview, Berger said, “I would love nothing more than to make a big-budget, expensive, fun movie that embraces the audience.” Ballad of a Small Player is a step towards that goal, its opulence suggests. You can watch the film on Netflix, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.