Colin Farrell has brought us a new crime thriller, which has received mixed reviews, but is nonetheless drawing impressive viewership. Edward Berger and Netflix's Ballad of a Small Player is based on Lawrence Osborne's novel of the same name, following a high-stakes gambler with a troubled past living in Macau. The movie also stars Tilda Swinton, Fala Chen, Deanie Ip, and Alex Jennings.
Ballad of a Small Player debuted with a decent Rotten Tomatoes score of 65%, technically " certified fresh " but hardly competing with the most likely 2026 Best Picture nominees ; that score has since dropped to 50%. This reception was more disappointing when Berger helmed last year's hit thriller Conclave , one of the top films contending for Best Picture at the most recent Academy Awards

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