Relay (9/10)

by Tony Medley

112 minutes.

R.

Sarah Grant (Lily James), a biotech scientist, has been fired from her job because she has discovered that her company’s genetically modified crops contain life-threatening side effects. She says she purloined damaging documents and intended to disclose them, but the company discovered the theft and is threatening her. Now she only wants to return the documents. So she goes to Ash (Riz Ahmed), a secretive fixer, to make a deal with the government allowing her to return the documents and live the rest of her life in ease.

Ash operates mysteriously through a takeout, a relay operator, so they never meet or personally talk. And Ash remains totally anonymous. All the while, the company’s operatives, led by Dawson (Sam Worthington), are trying to get the documents back and, in the process, try to find out who and where Ash is.

While Ash has specific directions that Sarah must follow to the letter, or he will drop the project, Ash takes enormous measures to protect his identity and location. The way it is set up is dazzling. This is a compelling, tense drama, a chase picture with Sarah hiding out, Ash trying to protect her, and Dawson and his team desperately trying to break the relay and find her and Ash.

The acting is superb. James is believably upset and scared. Ahmed gives a fine performance as what should be a stoic professional, but who is slowly becoming emotionally involved with his client.

Brilliantly directed by David Mackenzie from a script by Justin Piasecki, this has all a thriller wants: danger, an ingenious plot, and a convoluted denouement. The nice thing about reviewing a good film is that one need not say much more than, it’s a good, well-done movie that works and will hold the viewers’ attention until the end.