Running Time: 112 minutes
This feature from Bleecker Street will be playing exclusively at movie theaters on August 22nd.
After years of working as a movie critic, one tends to see patterns in the way movies are released. There are typically pockets in the early year and late summer when misfit titles are released. A number of these films typically end up being flawed efforts. But I’m happy to announce that this year there have been a few surprises. One of the biggest is Relay, a very effective independent thriller from director David Mackenzie (Hell or High Water).
The story follows a loner who goes by the name of Tom (Riz Ahmed). He works as a “fixer”, acting as an anonymous liaison to provide support to corporate whistleblowers and help broker deals between clients and their furious, potentially dangerous employers. While helping ex-pharma company employee Hoffman (Matthew Maher) complete a deal with executive McVie (Victor Garber), we see that Tom has very specific rules that he lives by. For the safety of all involved, he keeps his distance from all parties. The lead even uses a relay telecommunications service for the deaf to secretly advise and deliver messages between those involved without getting physically involved.
Soon after, panicked biotech scientist Sarah (Lily James) leaves Tom a message. She explains that she was fired from a project when trials revealed disturbing data about the product’s potential side effects. After receiving threats from the corporation and its team of agents, led by Dawson (Sam Worthington), Sarah now wants to return incriminating documents in her possession and be left alone. Tom agrees to help, but Sarah’s fear and nervousness ends up causing complications. The protagonist, who finds himself developing a connection with the woman, must decide whether to break his own rules in order to protect her.
Yes, this all sounds like a familiar thriller plotline, but the material is delivered in a more convincing and exciting manner than anticipated. The first act focuses on the low-key Tom and how he keeps himself protected from menacing figures who are willing to do anything to retrieve evidence on them. Tom’s methods are fascinating to watch. So much so that I looked some of these services up after my screening and learned that, yes, several are quite real and perform the very duties depicted in the movie. There’s an air of authenticity in this movie that captivates early on.
Sarah is in great danger from the outset, and the movie soon becomes a battle of wits between Tom and the Dawson team, with the scientist right in the middle. As she gets herself into more and more trouble, the protagonist also begins to open up with an acquaintance about his own past, how he came into this line of work, and the responsibility he feels for their well-being. As Tom starts replying to more personal messages sent by Sarah, he feels even more accountable for her safety.
Everything in the first two-thirds of the movie works perfectly and is very tense. Various characters make big moves to reveal their target. There is a sense of paranoia to the proceedings as well, as these individuals attempt to catch each other., often crossing paths without even knowing it.
The story does eventually become more conventional, as the stress of the situation causes a character or two to depart from their routine and make errors in the process. While it’s a little frustrating to watch in the moment, the challenges they encounter do lead to efficient and well-realized action (including a confused pick-up/drop-off in a public location), as well as a clever climax and finale that pays all of the story elements off in a satisfying way.
Admittedly, there are familiar bits and pieces in this thriller, but the performances, as well as the attention to detail and way in which the material is presented, results in excitement. The cast and filmmaker maximize the screenplay to its fullest potential, allowing for Relay to deliver its message and provide more late summer thrills than many will be anticipating.