Relay Review: Riz Ahmed’s Smart Thriller Explained
- "Relay," directed by David Mackenzie ("Hell or High Water"), presents a compelling premise: a tech-savvy individual can navigate a secret truce with those pursuing you, even without direct...
- The film's central conflict revolves around Sarah (Lily James), a biotech scientist seeking protection from harassment and a return to normalcy.
- The choice of the text-telephone service (TRS) as the primary communication method is crucial.
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Table of Contents
What is “Relay” About?
“Relay,” directed by David Mackenzie (“Hell or High Water”), presents a compelling premise: a tech-savvy individual can navigate a secret truce with those pursuing you, even without direct contact.The film centers on Ash (Riz Ahmed), a solitary fixer in New york City who utilizes the text-telephone service for the hard-of-hearing to maintain covert communication, shielding identities and call logs. Unlike typical assassin thrillers, “Relay” focuses on helping potential whistleblowers escape powerful entities - or offering them a financial settlement instead.
The Core Conflict: Whistleblowing, Harassment, and Uneasy Truces
The film’s central conflict revolves around Sarah (Lily James), a biotech scientist seeking protection from harassment and a return to normalcy. She turns to Ash for assistance,initiating a high-stakes game of cat and mouse. The screenplay, by Justin Piasecki, cleverly avoids the tropes of the assassin genre, rather posing a cynical question relevant to today’s headlines: should we attempt to make peace with our tormentors?
The Meaning of the Text-Telephone service
The choice of the text-telephone service (TRS) as the primary communication method is crucial. It’s not merely a plot device; it’s a ready-made covert operation, inherently designed to protect identities and obscure communication trails. This reflects a growing awareness of digital surveillance and the desire for privacy in an increasingly connected world. The film taps into the anxieties of a generation accustomed to both the convenience and the potential dangers of technology.
How TRS Works (and Why It’s Secure)
For those unfamiliar, TRS allows individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have speech disabilities to communicate by telephone. A communication assistant (CA) relays the conversation between the user and the other party. This process inherently adds a layer of anonymity, as the CA acts as an intermediary. In the context of “Relay,” this is exploited for its security benefits.
| Component | Role in TRS |
|---|---|
| User | Initiates communication via TTY or other device. |
| Communication Assistant (CA) | Relays the conversation between the user and the other party. |
| Other Party | Communicates with the CA, unaware of the user’s specific communication method. |
Echoes of 1970s Paranoia
The film’s premise resonates with the themes explored in 1970s paranoid thrillers like “The Parallax View” and “The conversation.” These films captured a sense of pervasive distrust and the feeling of being constantly watched. However, “Relay” updates this anxiety for the modern age, acknowledging that our devices both explain and obfuscate, and that we experience a fluctuating sense of persecution and anonymity.