We’re deep into the Fall and deep into awards season. There are many releases dropping each week featuring big performances and with big dreams this award season. One of the biggest players has been Netflix, which has a host of big films dropping each week this Fall.

The latest of those is Ballad of a Small Player, from director Edward Berger. The film dropped on the streaming site today, featuring an unexpected story of a man grappling with his demons. It stars Colin Farrell and is sure to draw some buzz this awards season.

In the film, we meet Lord Doyle (Farrell). He’s a degenerate gambler who is trying to change his luck in Macau. He’s escaped there because he sees it as the gambling capital of the world. But things aren’t going too well.

Lord Doyle is deep in debt. He’s convinced he needs just one good run to turn it all around, but he’s facing some serious deadlines. That only gets worse when Blithe (Tilda Swinton). She holds the key toward a past that’s rapidly catching up to him.

At his lowest, Lord Doyle meets Dao Ming (Fala Chen). She seems to understand him and offers to give him a chance to redeem himself. But can Lord Doyle choose the best possible path?

This new film has some stunning visuals. Macau is a beautiful place, and Berger does a nice job of capturing the artificial and natural beauty of the place. It also captures the madcap nature of these casinos. It brings it to life in some fascinating ways.

This is a story that takes place in the mind of a man who is losing his grip on reality. Berger does a beautiful job of shooting that and bringing you into Doyle’s mind. And Farrell gives a great performance in the role. He has a lot of wild swings, and it all keeps you rooted to his story.

But sadly, a good lead performance and a great production can’t distract from the difficulties of the plot. There is a twist near the end that’s meant to turn things on their head. The twist felt telegraphed by the way the film is shot. And beyond that, the story is a bit too chaotic and a bit too roughed in to be overly compelling.

There was a lot to like here. Berger has delivered some stylish and incredible dramas the past few years with Conclave and All Quiet on the Western Front. This is another film that has a strong look and a strong style, but the story simply isn’t as compelling as those previous works. It ultimately falls short of the potential.

Ballad of a Small Player is now streaming on Netflix.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.