Ballad of a Small Player is one of Netflix’s big releases of 2025. The movie, with Colin Farrell, tells the story of Brendan Reilly, a disgraced Irish financier posing as the aristocratic "Lord Doyle," living in Macau after fleeing his financial crimes in the United Kingdom. Reilly moves between hotels and casinos while his dependency on alcohol and gambling grows. The music for this film was composed by Volker Bertelmann, one of the most celebrated contemporary film composers. This is the third collaboration between the composer and director Edward Berger, following Conclave and All Quiet on the Western Front. Bertelmann gives the film a tense, paranoid feel that perfectly captures Brendan Reilly's world.