Straw [Movie Review]

Straw [Movie Review] |  I finally has the chance to watch this one. Based from the reviews I read online, I knew I need to properly sit down for this one. 

Was it as good as the reviews say?

SYNOPSIS

Straw (2025) Trivia

• Starring: Taraji P. Henson, Sherri Shepherd, Teyana Taylor, Sinbad, Rockmond Dunbar, Ashley Versher, Mike Merrill & Glynn Turman
• Director: Tyler perry
• Producer: Tyler Perry, Angi Bones & Tony Strickland
• Production Company: Tyler Perry Studios

• Distributed by: Netflix

• Release date: June 6, 2025
• Running time: 108 minutes
• Rating: MA
• Country: United States
• Language: English
• IMDb: 6.5/ 10
• Tomatometer: 52%
• Metascore: 56%
• Filmed in 4 days.

Janiyah's life is a constant balancing act on the edge of desperation. A single mother to her fragile daughter, Aria, she lives in a crumbling apartment where love is strong, but everything else is falling apart. One morning, Aria, tired of relying on her mother to bathe her and humiliated by her own teacher over not having lunch money, shares her frustrations. Janiyah masks her own heartbreak, she don't have the luxury to entertain all the break downs, she has to get to work.

On her way out, she hands her last coins to a neighbor in need, only to be met with threats of eviction by her impatient landlord. She promises her landlord that she will return with her rent during her break as she is getting paid today. 

At the grocery store where she works, things only get worse. A confrontation with a customer over an ineligible WIC purchase escalates into violence, and her manager, devoid of empathy, orders her to clean it up and threatens her job. Then comes the call from Aria's school. Aria’s been injured at school. A seizure, like before. She begged, but her boss refuses to let her leave. She is allowed to settle her problems and return to her post within 30 minutes. 

Rushing between the bank and school, delays pile up. By the time she reaches Aria, Child Protective Services is already there. They don’t believe her story when she told them that Aria fell down in the bathtub. Aria is taken away. She screams at the top of her lung - reminding them that Aria needs her medicine. 

It was raining heavily as she makes her way back to work. She accidentally cuts off another car and the owner of the car happens to be an off-duty cop. He runs after her and hits her car, causing her car to sputter to a halt in the middle of the road. The off-duty cop swears that he will kill her. She begs the on-duty lady cop to let her go but still, the cop writes her a ticket. Her car is impounded. 

When she is finally back at the store, it was way more than 30 minutes. She was away for two hours. Her manager fired her and told her to expect her paycheck via mail, which may take 3 days to reach her. But she really needs her pay to buy the medicine and pay her rent. Numb, she returns home to find her belongings on the curb. Yes, the landlord has officially evicted her. 

She storms back to her workplace to demand for her pay, but was interrupted by a robbery. When one of the men demands Aria’s backpack while mentioning her name after seeing her nametag, something in her snaps. In the chaos, she kills one of the robbers. Her boss accuses her of staging it all. In panic and pain, she shoots him too and runs.

In a final bid to feed her daughter, she heads to the bank. Desperate, she pulls a gun when her ID is questioned. A teller triggers a silent alarm. Nicole, the bank manager, recognizes Janiyah and tries to help. Outside, Detectives Raymond and Grimes prepare for the worst—but Raymond senses there’s more behind this standoff.

Will she be able to provide for Aria and gets her peace of mind?

MY REVIEW

What I Like:  

• Get your tissue ready.
• I was right to sit myself down for the movie. It was really heartbreaking to see her struggles.

What I Don't Like:

• I want to know what happens to Janiyah.

Will I Watch It Again: Yes, I will.   

Overall: 4.8/ 5.0

The pictures are taken from multiple sources on the Internet. Thank you.

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