Taraji P. Henson Shines in Mediocre, Cheaply Made Straw Movie

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Warning: Some SPOILERS lie ahead for Straw!

Without a doubt, Tyler Perry is one of the most industrious directors around, but this relentless pace seems to be taking its toll on him; he’s simply overextended. In the movie Straw, it appears as if he attempted to express some of his weariness and discontent with the world through the lens of a struggling single mother. There are instances where it tugged at my heartstrings, but overall, it left me feeling drained instead.

As a passionate cinephile, I’d rephrase that as follows: “In the role of filmmaker, Perry brings us ‘Straw’, a gripping tale about my character, Janiyah. She juggles two demanding jobs to make ends meet for herself and her ailing daughter, Aria. On an especially challenging day, she faces a series of hardships: losing one job, facing eviction, and having her car impounded after an unscrupulous off-duty cop performs a dangerous pit maneuver out of anger. Pushed to her limits, Janiyah finds herself unwillingly thrust into a precarious predicament.

Straw’s Increasingly Downtrodden Story Is More Groan-Worthy Than Effective

I Was So Frustrated By How Forced Everything Felt

The plot structure in “Straw” is too predictable and contrived as it seems every character is intentionally causing trouble for the protagonist, Janiyah. Her visit to her daughter’s school leads to an unwelcome encounter with Child Protective Services, followed by the eviction she feared, and her boss showing little concern for his employees. This sequence of events gives off an impression that everyone around her is working against her.

It becomes even more clear when Janiyah encounters legal troubles, as each subsequent incident seems overly dramatic for creating tension. Primarily, it’s both illogical and frustrating. Her indifferent boss immediately accuses her of attempting to rob the store, despite her preventing the robbery, shooting one of the robbers, and killing him. Some police choose to ignore their corrupt colleagues, while a few people attempt to speak or listen to Janiyah’s explanations.

One problem I have with the movie’s storyline is its finale, which begins dramatically with a shocking plot twist that left me somewhat emotional and empathizing with Janiyah. However, it rapidly transforms into an anticlimactic ending. The unexpected vision of police raiding the bank where she was supposedly taking hostages and fatally shooting her seemed so disconnected from the rest of the film’s atmosphere, and it was also instantly contradicted as Sherri Shepherd’s character, Nicole, calms her down. This eliminates all the built-up tension for the final scenes of the movie.

Straw Seems So Cheaply Made

The Film Looks Bad

As a passionate cinephile, I was quite astonished by how poorly Straw, allegedly produced in Georgia within four days, appeared to me. Given its grounded narrative, it seemed unnecessary for it to boast intricate cinematography or elaborate editing techniques. However, the movie’s visual aesthetic felt underdeveloped, as if Perry and his team didn’t invest much energy into crafting a visually engaging experience. The sets resembled real businesses they simply rented and left untouched, the costumes were unremarkable, and the unexpected rainstorm that struck midway through the film felt heavy-handed, yet the surrounding cityscape and lighting hinted at it being artificial.

Taraji P. Henson Genuinely Deserves An Award For Her Performance Here

Sherri Shepherd Is Also A Great Supporting Player

Despite feeling disenchanted with most aspects of the movie’s plot and dialogue, what captivated me throughout was Taraji P. Henson’s stunning portrayal. The Academy Award nominee poured her heart into playing Janiyah, making each misfortune and stumble feel poignantly real for us viewers. Her powerful monologue, delivered slightly beyond the movie’s midpoint where she recounts her experiences, was so skillfully executed that it left me wishing the rest of the film could match her brilliance.

Despite having varying views on the overall cast of “Straw“, Henson’s impressive performance is complemented by a powerful portrayal from Sherri Shepherd, who plays Nicole, the bank manager. She skillfully uncovers the compassionate core of her character amidst her apprehensions in what seems to be a hostage situation, enabling us to empathize more with Janiyah as we cheer for her to achieve a long-awaited victory in her life.

Straw is now streaming on Netflix.

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2025-06-07 00:17