TIFF Review: ‘Relay’ is a Sleek and Gripping Urban Thriller

Becoming a whistleblower is a major decision, one that certainly invites repercussions. It’s not unreasonable to imagine that someone might plan to expose problematic information about their company and then choose not to after some thought, and therefore require help to undo the damage they’ve already done and set things right. David Mackenzie’s film Relay creates a character who does just that, serving as an intermediary between would-be whistleblowers and their abandoned targets, ensuring that everyone leaves happy enough and safe without fear of future consequences.

Ash (Riz Ahmed) has a very strict and careful way of doings things. He uses a relay service that enables him to type out what he wants an operator to say so that his clients never hear his voice. He charges his clients a deposit that he says can be recouped by the much larger sum he demands from the company, with the CEO required to meet the client in a public place to retrieve the stolen documents and take a photo. His system works very well, but he can’t always predict how his clients will act, as is the case with his latest, Sarah (Lily James), who seems intent on getting to know the mystery person who’s helping her and not merely following his very deliberate orders.

Relay opens in the middle of Tom’s previous job, which finds Hoffman (Matthew Maher) meeting with a CEO (Victor Garber) he says he expected to look evil. Tom tails Hoffman at the restaurant and all the way to the platform at Grand Central where he boards a train to faraway Poughkeepsie. That beginning details his meticulousness and how he has a plan for everything, which comes in handy when he learns that Sarah is being followed by a team led by a no-nonsense operator (Sam Worthington) dead set on stopping negotiations before they start. Ash has to be ready for anything – and he is – save for the sentimentality that comes his way from the lovely but not overly cooperative Sarah.

This film comes from director David Mackenzie, who helmed both Hell or High Water and Starred Up, two excellent but radically different films, and screenwriter Justin Piasecki in a fantastic feature debut. Its beat is superb, and it rarely lets up for the entirety of its run. There’s a great deal of suspense and the film always stays at least one step ahead of its viewer, ready to provide a new enticing twist or development to ensure full engagement. The setting of New York City also adds to the effect, giving Ash a playground to work with that works to his advantage and allows him many options for backup plans should the original go awry.

Ahmed is a welcome choice for the role of Ash, playing him as devoted to his methodology, and it’s fun to see what happens when Sarah throws him off slightly. He has depth and a background story unrelated to the film’s main plot, and it’s also quite funny seeing him put on disguises so that he can hide in plain sight and monitor the situation up close. James makes Sarah an appealing if somewhat unpredictable foil, and it’s entertaining to watch the two performers’ faces light up as they build a relationship without ever seeing each other. Worthington is having a blast too, short on patience and very much motivated to achieve his objectives. Relay is a great ride, overflowing with creativity and firing on all cylinders for a memorable and enthralling watch.

Movie Rating: 9/10

Awards Buzz: Ahmed and James aren’t likely to contend for this film despite their history as Oscar (him) and Emmy (both) nominees, and Mackenzie directed the Best Picture-nominated Hell or High Water. This film probably won’t be an awards player, but it certainly deserves to be.