Straw

 

Straw 2025

• Director: Tyler Perry
• Cast: Taraji P Henson, Sherri Shepherd, Teyana Taylor, Ashley Verser
• Why? Recommended by friend AJ
• Seen: 7 June 2025

 Janiyah (Henson) is a single mother with a sick daughter, a rotten job, a nasty boss, a nasty landlady, trouble at her daughter’s school, trouble with the social services. She is fired, evicted, harassed by a white male cop.

Then there is a robbery and the film starts having a Dog Day Afternoon feeling. It’s very dramatic, a bit too melodramatic and hammy at times, but Henson gives a sterling performance.

 

4* of 5