‘Relay’ Film Review: the old school Corporate Espionage genre is back
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Making a life of crime seem enticing and achievable to the average person, Riz Ahmed as Ash finds a way to captivate audiences with little dialogue. In present-day New York City, Ash plays a ‘fixer’ between corrupt pharmaceutical companies and whistleblowers trying to escape their grip. Reminiscent of the 1970s corporate espionage dramas like the 1979 crime thriller The China Syndrome, writer Justin Piasecki borrows from the old school. Burner phones, untraceable addresses, surveilling from rooftops, and messaging through the United States Postal Service are all a part of Ash’s arsenal. The highlight of Ash’s repertoire is the telecommunications service and namesake of the film Relay, a free, operator-assisted system typically used for connecting standard phone users with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Relay, directed by David Mackenzie, follows Ash as he works in near-total isolation when a new prospective client, Sarah (Lily James), reaches out for assistance. As Sarah enlists Ash to undo the damage she created with her former employer, their working relationship turns into an entanglement, setting off a chain of events that lead both Ash and the henchman (led by Sam Worthington), who was hired to threaten Sarah, on a thrilling pursuit.
Ash’s personal life comes into focus, revealing that his determination stems from his failure to expose a corrupt pharmaceutical company he had personal dealings with. He’s a recovering alcoholic attending AA meetings, holding his clientele’s fate on his shoulders as he establishes an emotional connection with Sarah. It’s a fun ride watching Ash creep through the corners of the city, secretly ten steps ahead of everyone who crosses his elusive path. Riz raises the stakes with his keen ability to portray his character’s emotions with sparse dialogue. The main characters develop feelings during their mission to keep Sarah safe, which seems like a predictable (and disappointing) storyline to scoff at until the surprising twist in the second act makes you re-evaluate everything you saw previously.
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The plot twist almost works, creating real human moments in the middle of a high-stakes chase, but in the end, it didn’t land and left me torn. How could a surprise like this happen to a man who is always thinking lightyears ahead of his competition while staying completely anonymous? Could a single sign of affection really undo everything he worked so hard to build? At first, it felt far-fetched that Ash would fall for anything, and I nearly gave the film 1 star on Letterboxd. But after thinking it over, Piasecki’s risky decision to include Ash’s personal struggles in the story started to make some sense. The story left me wondering whether it is unrealistic or bold to give emotional vulnerability that much power over such an astute character. It was a risky move that caught me off guard and placed the film’s heart front and center, but even with that understanding, it wasn’t enough. I couldn’t get past this last-minute twist that completely undermined what was otherwise an almost flawless thriller.
Instead of going for the cinematic extravaganza of John Wick and Mission Impossible, Mackenzie focused on character development and chose to use subdued suspense instead of over-the-top action. To help him with this, cinematographer Michael McDonough leveraged New York City’s landscapes as a backdrop, accentuating the story’s minimalism and tension. Every still moment spent with Ash heightens the director’s desire for uncertainty, and this style fits in with his withdrawn demeanor.
Ultimately, Relay combines white-collar crime with internal struggles of morality, which is bound to entertain people. Despite its shortcomings and underwhelming finale, this film was filled with universal questions of how far someone is willing to bend the rules of justice, the thin line between loyalty and betrayal, and what that all does to your spirit.
Be sure to check it out when it releases in the U.S. this summer. Add this one to your Letterboxd watchlist, and let me know what you think.
November|Eleventh Rating
3.5 STARS
