He seems to know when to hold ’em and when to fold ’em — but is it all too late?
Here is our first look at Colin Farrell in Ballad of a Small Player, director Edward Berger‘s follow-up to the Best Picture Oscar nominee Conclave. Have a look above.
Set to a trailer-ready slowed-down version of the 50-year-old Andrea True Connection hit “More, More, More,” the clip opens with Farrell’s Lord Doyle spiffing up for a night out in Macau — “the Las Vegas of Asia.” Facing off against an older woman at the table, the high-stakes gambler appears to be relishing a winning streak. Until … he leaps off a hotel roof.
Cut to a clearly hung over Doyle waking up on a couch amid a sea of empty bottles. From there, it’s a montage of imagery depicting gaming, drinking, rage-eating and, apparently, regret. Despite trying to lay low in the Chinese city, his past — and mounting debts — are catching up with him.
But Doyle is destined to encounter a kindred spirit who might just hold the key to his salvation. That would be the mysterious Dao Ming (Shang-Chi‘s Fala Chen), a casino employee with secrets of her own.
In hot pursuit, however, is Cynthia Blithe (Tilda Swinton), a private eye ready to confront Doyle with what he is running from. As the gambler tries to climb to salvation, the confines of reality start to close in.
Deanie Ip and Alex Jennings also star in the Berger’s film, which reunites the Oscar nominee with his All Quiet on the Western Front crew including Academy Award-winning cinematographer James Friend and composer Volker Bertelmann.
Ballad of a Small Player will make its Canadian premiere at the Toronto Film Festival next month before playing the Zurich Film Festival, where the Oppenheimer Oscar winner will pick up its Golden Icon Award.
Netflix opens in theaters on October 15, before it hits the streamer two weeks later.
