While many viewers get their spooky season fix with some of the best horror movies on Netflix, others might be looking for a different kind of spooky thrill. Fans of the Safdie brothers’ frenetic 2019 crime thriller “Uncut Gems,” for example, might be tempted by “Ballad of a Small Player,” the star-studded crime thriller that was just released on Netflix and is already proving popular on the streamer.
“Ballad of a Small Player” stars Colin Farrell as a gambling addict trying to escape his past in Macau, where he continues to accumulate debt while trying to elude an investigator in his native United Kingdom. The film was released on Netflix on October 29, 2025 and, according to streaming audience tracker FlixPatrol, became an immediate hit worldwide. In the United States, the film debuted at number seven on the film charts, and at the time of writing, it is currently number two on the global film charts.
It’s a pretty impressive debut for a film that has come and gone during its limited theatrical runs in the US and UK. Plus, it comes from director Edward Berger, who previously oversaw “All Quiet on the Western Front” and “Conclave,” which also found a second life on streaming when it released on Prime Video in early 2025. Safdies fans looking for more stressful action can rest easy, however. Berger’s latest film is perhaps even busier than the Adam Sandler-directed thriller, with cinematographer James Friend reinforcing the sense of impending doom with energetic camerawork complemented by Farrell’s intense and typically excellent turn. Alternatively, of course, Safdie Brothers fans could watch one of the many noir classics that embody the same sweaty desperation as “Uncut Gems.” But if you want a modern alternative, then “Ballad of a Small Player” is just about perfect.
Ballad of a Small Player appears to be the biggest movie on Netflix worldwide
For “Ballad of a Small Player,” writer Rowan Joffé adapted Lawrence Osborne’s 2014 novel of the same name. The film sees Colin Farrell’s gambling addict Lord Doyle try his luck in a Macau casino as he attempts to win big, while being threatened with deportation for not paying his bill. It doesn’t help that he once stole money from an elderly woman in the UK, who has now sent private detective Cynthia Blithe (Tilda Swinton) to collect what she is owed. Doyle claims to be able to make money, and we follow him as he desperately tries to cover his own debts and earn enough to pay Blithe. Along the way, he becomes romantically involved with casino worker Dao Ming (Fala Chen), who may hold the key to Doyle’s salvation.
Don’t let that 51% critical score on Rotten Tomatoes deter you, especially if you’re looking for that Safdie-style magic. Even critics generally unsympathetic to Edward Berger’s film agreed that Farrell is excellent in the title role, and most were complimentary of the cinematography. “Ballad of a Small Player” is not only a solid way to spend 102 delightfully stressful minutes, it’s also a big hit with Netflixers. The film reached number two on the World Film Chart, appearing in an impressive 86 countries. It is also number two out of 19 of them and is expected to take the top spot in the coming days. Whether it can make it in the United States remains to be seen, but it’s already almost there and it only needs to trump Kathryn Bigelow’s equally anxiety-inducing nuclear war thriller, “House of Dynamite,” to become the number one film worldwide on Netflix.
