‘Straw’: Tyler Perry’s New Netflix Drama Pits Taraji P. Henson Against a Ruthless System

Taraji P. Henson leads the gripping thriller ‘Straw’, where social drama and suspense collide with intensity.

Henson stars in a tension-filled thriller alongside Teyana Taylor and Sherri Shepherd, portraying an overwhelmed single mother drowning in debt who becomes entangled in a bank robbery.

Tyler Perry’s latest film, ‘Straw’, now streaming on Netflix, returns to the realm of heightened melodrama that defines the director’s style. The story centres on Janiyah Watkinson (Henson), a single mother desperate to gather enough money to pay for her daughter’s school lunch and the day’s rent. But what starts as a difficult day soon spirals into a nightmare when a robbery at her workplace pulls her into a state-level investigation.

Teyana Taylor plays the detective who tries to look past appearances to understand Janiyah, while Sherri Shepherd brings a human touch as the bank manager caught in the escalating tension. Though critics agree that ‘Straw’ carries Perry’s typical flaws—contrived plots and heavy-handed metaphors—Henson’s performance elevates the film with emotional depth and complexity.

Inspired by thrillers like ‘Breaking’, the film offers a direct reflection on how the system disproportionately affects African-American single mothers. It’s not flawless, but thanks to its powerful female leads, it delivers moments that truly resonate.