MPAA: R.
Release Date: 08/22/25 [Cinemas]
Genre: Action. Thriller.

Studio: Bleeker Street Media.

THE PREMISE:

"A broker of lucrative payoffs between corrupt corporations and the individuals who threaten them breaks his own rules when a new client seeks his protection to stay alive." 

OUR MOVIE REVIEW:

I randomly saw a trailer for this movie while perusing YouTube. When I was offered a chance to review the film, I was excited for the Grindhouse retro-style feel based on this trailer. Watching the actual film, I quickly came to the realization that this was not a Grindhouse-like vibe. Relay is grounded and takes its time early on establishing its clever premise - a ‘middleman liaison’ service that utilizes the city’s free relay telephone service for the deaf as a means to encrypt conversations with clients. 

Lily James plays Sarah, recently separated from her pharmaceutical company employer. She’s left with a groundbreaking and damaging parting gift - a document that could sink the company overnight. She initially plans to blow the whistle but has second thoughts after she is followed and threatened by mysterious figures.  

The bulk of the film is Lily James following directions from Riz Ahmed’s character, Ash, and while there is a little bit of tension in the first half, there is a lot of walking around and running mundane errands, including going to the post office on multiple occasions and learning about postal codes! The first half drags a bit as illustrated by this example, but I think this slow start makes the second half easier to appreciate as tensions rise and things begin to fall apart and go off the rails. 

Riz Ahmed and Lily James manage to create a palpable chemistry through an initial veil of anonymity in this patient, pressure cooker tale of tension laced intrigue. Their dynamic works well and is a highlight of the movie, but it doesn’t take many chances until the last 30 minutes or so and by then I was a little winded from all the walking. I’m surprised Fitbit didn’t throw their hat into the ring as a sponsor, but then again they don’t sell hats. Riz Ahmed’s character is quiet and reserved for most of the runtime, but his character evolves throughout as you slowly begin to learn more about him and his past struggles with substance abuse. 

Relay is slick and vibrant visually, and that’s through David Mackenzie’s direction, but the movie struggles to live up to the level of prestige that Mackenzie’s prior film Hell or Highwater received. I believe this is due to a less compatible mesh of director, writer and lead characters who are limited in their interactions due to the initial calculated, impersonal context of their transactional relationship. 

Despite its flaws, going into Relay with patience, knowing the first half focuses more on the world and character building than thrills, it’s a satisfying watch in the end. It’s a well crafted modern day neo-noire game of cat and mouse featuring solid performances from its leads and a satisfying, unexpected climax.