When I first saw the trailer for Tyler Perry’s Straw, the multihyphenate’s latest movie on Netflix, I had high hopes.
It stars Golden Globe winner Taraji P. Henson and features acting assists from Sherri Shepherd and Teyana Taylor. Plus, the trailer and official synopsis led me to believe the film would put me in the mind of one of my favorite Denzel Washington movies, John Q. So there were a few things for me to look forward to. Sadly, though, I watched Straw, and by the end of it, I was sorely disappointed.
The dramatic thriller follows Henson’s Janiyah, a single mother who reaches her wits’ end after being fired, evicted from her home and losing the one person she cares about most in this world, her daughter. Things go from bad to worse when trying to retrieve her final check, Janiyah finds herself held at gunpoint, and she inadvertently murders one of the gunmen, along with her jerk of a boss. This all leads to her big “misunderstanding,” which makes her the prime suspect of a bank robbery.
Now, right off the bat, that's a lot to digest. But hey, I understood the purpose of all the chaos was to build up the narrative that Janiyah had faced so much over the course of 24 hours that she snapped.
I just wish the dialogue going from scene to scene was a bit punchier, so the pacing didn’t feel like a slow drip of drama.
Then there's the big plot twist. I actually thought it was a very intriguing dramatic moment to see the revelation that Janiyah’s bad day really kicked off the night before when her daughter died. To see her go through the motions of taking her “child” to school the next day, mentally unwilling to accept the actual fate of her daughter, was heartwrenching to witness as her whole life fell apart trying to provide for little Aria (Gabby Jackson), who was no longer alive.
However, while plot twists usually enhance my viewing experience, this one didn’t feel executed well. In the midst of this big reveal, an alternative ending of sorts was looped in that made me initially believe Janiyah’s story ended with her being gunned down. But in reality, she was walked out of the bank by the bank manager played by Shepherd. The alternative scene just appeared unnecessary and added confusion.
With all that being said, Straw has great actors, a great premise, and an interesting plot twist. But sadly, all the great factors of the movie, in many cases, didn't work well together. To use a metaphor, it’s like seeing a person dressed in stripes, polka dots, paisley, floral print and animal print all in one outfit. On their own, the patterns may work and prove to be showstoppers, but together, they may not make for the greatest fashion statement.
With all that being said, this is only my opinion. Check out Straw for yourself on Netflix, and you be the judge.
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