Tyler Perry’s STRAW (2025)

Tyler Perry’s STRAW (2025)
“It wasn’t just the last straw. It was the only one she had left.”

Tyler Perry returns with a completely different film: STRAW – a dramatic psychological thriller, told in real time, encapsulated in one day – but leaving an aftershock in the viewer’s mind long after the film ends.

The story: One day. One mother. The whole world is against her.

Janiyah Wiltkinson (played hauntingly by Taraji P. Henson) is a single mother struggling to care for her seriously ill daughter. But when a series of events – from a minor accident, to a misunderstanding at work, to a serious accusation from the authorities – all come together in one day, she is pushed to the brink of despair.

No one believes her. No one helps her. And no one will listen to the truth.

The Power of Minimalism
Shot in just four days, Straw didn’t need CGI or visual effects. The film’s power comes from:

Taraji P. Henson’s incredibly authentic performance – bringing a mother who is both strong and deeply wounded.

The fast-paced editing, with no wasted minutes – makes viewers feel like they are racing with Janiyah every minute.

Social message: The film asks the big question – “Why is it that when a woman of color tells the truth, the first thing people do is doubt her?”

Supporting cast but not “supporting”
Sherri Shepherd brings unexpected emotion to the role of a neighbor who witnesses – and chooses to stay silent.

Teyana Taylor is a tough and rebellious piece – but also the first to dare to say what no one else dares to admit.

And Sinbad, in a brief cameo but enough to make the audience cry.

Why “Straw”?
The name Straw is a powerful metaphor: the last straw – the smallest thing that can make the whole camel fall. This is not just Janiyah’s worst day. This is the day when society, prejudice, and silence broke a person who had almost nothing left to lose.

Conclusion
Straw is not an easy film to watch. But it is a necessary work. Tyler Perry has made one of the tightest and most powerful films of his career – not flowery, not pleasant, but so real that it makes people sit still when the screen goes black.

⭐ Rating: 9/10 – A small film about a short day, but the weight is a lifetime.