Relay is a corporate espionage, paranoia thriller directed by David Mackenzie, best known for Hell or High Water and written by Justin Piasecki. It follows the life of a middleman operating in the shadows between desperate whistleblowers and corrupt corporations.
Warning: This review contains spoilers for the film ‘Relay.‘
Living in a modest but well kept New York city apartment, Ashraf, played by Oscar winner Riz Ahmed, uses a telecommunications device for the deaf to manage communications between whistleblowers and corporate representatives via the Tri-State Relay Service. This system, which involves a teleprinter for text communication over phone lines, ensures that Ash’s identity remains concealed.
Ashraf or Ash is depicted as a quiet, recovering alcoholic who regularly attends Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. For a significant portion of the film, Ahmed’s character remains silent, and I found myself wondering if he is unable to speak or if he is deaf.
The film opens with Ash witnessing a covert exchange between a client and a corporate executive from Optimus. In a tense café scene, Hoffman, played by Matthew Maher, delivers incriminating documents to the CEO, demanding a photo as proof of their meeting. He also warns that if anything happens to him, a backup copy of the documents will be leaked by Ash.
The plot thickens when Ash takes on Sarah Grant, played by Lily James, a former biotech employee on the run after stealing a critical food safety report, and if exposed, could reveal dangerous information about a new strain of insect-resistant weed developed by her former employer.
While Sarah, like many of Ash’s previous clients, seeks monetary compensation for returning the documents, this case is particularly complex and poses a risk of revealing Ash’s identity, especially as he begins to fall for her.
The film delicately explores Ash’s softer side through a subtle romance that develops between him and Sarah.
When Sarah leaves a voicemail with one of Ash’s favorite songs asking him if he’s “lonely,” the audience is offered an insight into his loneliness.
However, that moment also deepens their connection, and pushes Ash to break his own rule of maintaining anonymity to protect Sarah later in the film.
In a shocking twist, Ash risks his life for Sarah, only to find out she is working with Optimus and trying to retrieve the backup copy he has hidden.
Fortunately, Ash’s friend from his AA group, who works for the police, comes to his rescue when Sarah threatens him at gunpoint. The standoff scene, before the police come in, between the two characters almost left me wondering if Sarah truly had feelings for Ash.
Both actors deliver standout performances in Relay, with Riz Ahmed particularly shining in a powerful monologue during an AA meeting where he reflects on his experiences as a Muslim in post-9/11 America.
Ahmed is a natural actor who delivers dark characters with such ease, you forget you’re watching a movie.
The cinematography adds to the film’s atmosphere, using dark lighting and striking visuals, such as the red traffic light illuminating Ash’s face in moments of danger.
While the film encompasses all the essential elements of a thriller, its romantic and comedic relief touches add a well-balanced flow, preventing it from becoming overwhelming or overly tense.
Overall, Relay excels in acting, writing, direction, music, and cinematography, making it one of the most compelling thrillers I’ve seen in a long time, and a noteworthy example of modern corporate espionage cinema.
