by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
Plenty of people in the world go through so much pain, trauma, and anguish that they feel like nothing more than a house of straw just ready to fall to pieces.
Tyler Perry is a filmmaker who leans into the melodrama of the world and puts a spotlight on the lives of Black people, and they are again the foundational pieces for his latest Netflix original drama/thriller, Straw. You can certainly see where the title comes from once you go on this journey with Taraji P. Henson’s Janiyah Wiltkinson.
There is zero subtlety to be found in Straw’s script. So many characters are one-note and clear caricatures in an attempt to get Perry’s messaging across. This is a story about prejudice, trauma, and hate that Black people deal with daily, but the film homes in on one unfortunate woman who has finally been broken by the world. The first act is just a nonstop barrage of gut punch after gut punch. After a while, you begin to lose an anchor to reality, because this situation becomes so absurd and ridiculous. To tell a condensed story, Perry needs to make sure that many different life-altering moments happen to Janiyah within one day. If you can suspend your disbelief, then you can maybe buy into this escalating and ridiculous narrative.
Some other characters have depth, and they allow the audience to connect with the film on a more emotional level (mostly the three central female characters, including Janiyah, the bank manager Nicole (Sherri Shepherd), and Teyana Taylor’s understanding detective Kay Raymond), but a wild choice in the film’s final moments almost completely torpedoes the film. It is completely unnecessary, undercutting so much of the experience.
Perry also fails to bring a dynamic visual palette. His visual approach is a bit lackluster, making the film feel more like a TV series. Despite this, Perry drums up tons of emotion and tension throughout Straw. This is a bank heist after all, and you need that tension and suspense to be into its hostage situation. The film’s tone derives from Perry’s vision. Subtlety is not his approach, and his expectation is to go to the ceiling with the performances. They are big and melodramatic, and the constant screaming and anger will shake you to the core after a while. The film does have a heavy-handed approach to everything, and it can feel like Perry is preaching at you… but that is certainly expected from his previous work.
Thankfully the cast keeps the film from completely spiraling into absurdity. Henson’s performance is so affecting and empathetic that you cannot help but get on her side, despite some of her choices. Nicole has plenty of sympathy and understanding for Janiyah, and the dynamic between Shepherd and Henson is engaging — seeing how it grows is one of the film’s biggest highlights. Meanwhile, Taylor takes a more reserved and brooding approach to her character. Her low-key emotional presence is a refreshing change of pace for the film. Raymond pours out her heart to Janiyah in a key moment, and Taylor makes you feel every second of it.
Ultimately, Straw’s twist really takes away so much from the film, especially during its key climactic moments. The film’s messaging is important, though, as it puts a spotlight on the horrible discrimination and challenges faced by the Black community desperately trying to support themselves and their loved ones. We witness how far a mother will go to save her daughter. But Perry’s approach is so heavy-handed and obnoxious that it almost drowns the messaging.
Rating: Didn’t Like It
Tyler Perry’s Straw is currently streaming on Netflix
You can read more from Shane Conto, and follow him on Instagram and Letterboxd