STRAW (2025)

🎬 Straw (2025)

Director: Tyler Perry

 

Writer: Tyler Perry 

Cast:

• Taraji P. Henson (Janiyah Wiltkinson)  

• Sherri Shepherd (Nicole, bank manager)  

• Teyana Taylor (Detective Kay Raymond)  

• Glynn Turman (Richard, boss)  

• Sinbad (Benny) 

• Rockmond Dunbar (Chief Wilson)  

Genre: Psychological Crime Drama / Thriller 

MPAA Rating: R (intense violence, language) 

Duration: 108 minutes (1h 48m) 

Release Date: June 6, 2025 (Netflix)

Budget: Not disclosed publicly

Rating (Rotten Tomatoes): 52 % critics / 71 % audience 

About Movie and Production

Straw marks Tyler Perry’s latest solo-directorial effort, produced under Tyler Perry Studios for Netflix . Once again writing, directing, and producing, Perry places Black womanhood, single motherhood, systemic strain, and emotional overload; front and center. Cinematographer Justyn Moro and editor Nick Coker collaborate to build a taut, often claustrophobic visual narrative. Music by Dara Taylor underscores emotional beats without overwhelming.

The film’s production aligns with Perry’s mission: spotlight everyday struggles beneath mainstream visibility. With Taraji P. Henson at the helm, a powerhouse performance anchors the narrative; a role Perry himself had Taraji in mind for from the beginning. Henson has called the role a career-touchstone, and this marks her fourth collaboration with Perry .

Plot Summary and Overview

Spoiler alert—here’s a full rundown of what happens:

The story follows Janiyah Wiltkinson, a struggling single mother living paycheck to paycheck in a run-down apartment. Her daughter, Aria, has medical issues and is the center of her existence .

The day begins disastrously: eviction threats, job stress, denying WIC transactions, school-call notifications about bruises on Aria, and bureaucracy blocking her paycheck. After a series of humiliations including eviction, car impoundment, job loss, and having Aria taken by Childs Protection Service, Janiyah breaks at her job, resulting in a violent altercation and two deaths: a robber and her own boss.

Desperate and armed with a bloody paycheck, she holds up a bank but isn’t there to rob it; it’s a standoff to fund her daughter’s needs. 

Across genres, the film evokes Dog Day Afternoon and John Q, both in tone and scenario.

Inside the bank, empathy emerges: Nicole, the manager, and Detective Raymond communicate and provide understanding. Streamed live, the situation garners public outcry. 

Finally, the plot deepens with a twist; Aria died the previous night, and much of the day was a hallucination driven by grief.

Confronted with the truth, Janiyah surrenders peacefully but not before powerful moments of solidarity and emotional awakening.

Personal Movie Review

Here’s my detailed take splitting strengths and weaknesses to reflect both sides:

👍 The Strengths

1. Performance by Taraji P. Henson

From harrowing breakdowns to moments of fragile hope, Henson anchors the film with raw authenticity . She commands the screen and emotionally connects with viewers, making Janiyah’s unraveling compelling.

2. Strong Supporting Cast

Sherri Shepherd as Nicole delivers warmth and intelligence, providing a stabilizing presence amidst chaos.

Teyana Taylor is measured and empathetic in her role as Detective Raymond; a dignified presence against systemic violence.

3. Timely & Relevant Themes

Perry addresses single motherhood, economic instability, systemic racism, and mental health. Scenes inside the bank highlight empathy across class lines, weaving a powerful commentary on community solidarity.

4. Emotional Tension & Narrative Drive

The film maintains a taut pace, and the tension peaks during the robbery turn hostage scenario, sustaining suspense and investment.

5. Visual and Auditory Tone

Moro’s cinematography creates a bleak, oppressive palette, while Dara Taylor’s score punctuates key emotional junctures. The visuals mirror Janiyah’s mental and emotional confinement.

👎 The Weaknesses

1. Melodramatic Overreach

Critics have noted Tyler Perry’s tendency toward over sentimentality and soap‑opera wrinkles, sudden rainstorms, abrupt tonal shifts that sometimes disrupt the realism. The penultimate twist clips momentum and raises pacing concerns.

2. Inconsistent Social Insight

The Guardian points out that while Perry spotlights systemic injustice, he doesn’t deeply interrogate or contextualize them meaningfully, sometimes trading exploration for spectacle.

3. Viewing Experience

At 108 minutes, the story aims for tightness, but transitions sometimes feel rushed day/night changes, emotional accelerations and the hallucination twist may feel abrupt or overused.

4. Dialogue & Tone

Some lines and exchanges veer into heavy‑handed territory, losing nuance in favour of obvious messaging. The emotional climax risks veering into guilt‑driven or trauma‑porn land.

Conclusion

Straw is Tyler Perry at his most visceral; driven by a powerhouse performance from Taraji P. Henson, it delivers an emotionally draining look at one woman's unraveling under the weight of systemic and personal misfortune. The film excels when anchored in Henson’s portrayal and the emotional intelligence of Sherri Shepherd and Teyana Taylor. Scenes of solidarity inside the bank, between women, and through public empathy are the film’s emotional core and strongest victories.

However, Straw is hurt by Perry’s melodramatic instincts: abrupt plot twists, convenient weather changes, and occasional social superficiality dust the edges of otherwise strong performances.

Critics like The Guardian point out that while emotionally potent, the film doesn’t fully grapple with the systemic forces it gestures toward.

If you tune in for a performance-driven, emotionally charged drama with a strong female lead and tight stakes, Straw delivers powerfully. 

Personal Rating: ★★★★½☆ (3.5 / 5)

Acting: ★★★★★ – Henson owns every frame

Plot & Writing: ★★★★ – Strong emotional beats, but twist weakens logic

Direction: ★★★★ – Effective tone, occasional excess

Cinematography: ★★★★ – Strong mood, some clichés

Music: ★★★★ – Supportive, though occasionally heavy

Bottom Line:

Straw forces a conversation about unseen struggles, social invisibility, and collective empathy anchored by one of Taraji P. Henson’s most intense performances yet. It’s flawed, loud, and at times, overwrought but undeniably human and resonant.

Movie Trailer 

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