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Riz Ahmed steps into Relay with the quiet presence he is known for. He plays Tom, a professional fixer who manages corporate payoffs like he is moving pieces on a chessboard. His tight and deliberate performance peels back into something more personal as the story unfolds. Lily James appears as Sarah, a woman who might need his services or have other motives entirely. Their scenes together do not shout for attention but keep a steady grip on it.
Ahmed’s recent work has built a clear path to this. From the Sound of Metal to Encounter and Nightcrawler, he has carved out a spot as someone who does not play roles loudly but lets them sink in. He has not done anything flashy in Relay, and Lily James has changed her screen rhythm, too. She brings a calm surface and something more unreadable underneath.
David Mackenzie Directs Relay with Controlled Precision
David Mackenzie directs with control, keeping the story’s tension alive without overstating it. There is movement in every frame, but it is measured. The script, written by Justin Piasecki, first turned heads when it appeared on the Black List in 2019. It was renamed from The Broker and found its way to the screen after a long wait. Some of that original sharpness remains, though a few familiar beats slip in.
