RELAY
Starring: Riz Ahmed, Lily James, and Sam Worthington
Director: David Mackenzie
NICK
Relay feels straight out of the 90s. Like, I can picture reruns of this film playing on TBS growing up. That's not a knock, either. The movie is specifically meant as an homage, so it succeeds on that front. It's the required intensity that is absent. That's not Riz Ahmed’s or Lily James’ fault, both of whom provide solid performances and great chemistry. It's the pacing and overall feel of the film; it's just a little on the forgettable side. With the rerun era essentially obsolete, Relay won't have the same chance as its predecessors, but perhaps it finds a home on streaming.
ADRIANO
It's disappointing to have a movie you're genuinely enjoying get ruined by a big twist. That's what Relay is, a movie that had me enthralled with its whip-smart cat-and-mouse game for a large chunk of the runtime, which was enjoyable enough to overshadow the narrow attempts at emotional character writing; however, when that big reveal happens, it turns the movie completely on its face in a way that isn't true to anything that was set-up, story- or character-wise. I don't know the reveal's point, but it was a serious momentum killer.
This film was reviewed by Nick as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival.