*Warning: This article contains full spoilers for the ending of Straw.*
Since its debut on Netflix a week ago, Tyler Perry’s latest movie, titled “Straw,” has been doing quite well.
The movie centers around Janiyah Wilkinson, portrayed by Taraji P Henson, a devoted single parent battling the illness of her child Aria. After an especially challenging day that takes a turn for the worst, Janiyah experiences a startling breakdown.
The movie opens with a foreboding sequence showing her strolling through the hospital accompanied by her ill child, her face clouded with confusion. Later on, we find ourselves in a different time frame where Janiyah is having trouble getting Aria to school, promising to make up for missing lunch money, while juggling a demanding landlord and job.
The situation quickly becomes chaotic for her as she’s abruptly pulled away from work by a call from the school, learning that her child is being taken into custody, followed by a harrowing encounter where she’s rammed off the road by a hostile police officer.
This then leads to the loss of her job and her apartment.
Due to an unjust accusation that she was involved in a store robbery at her place of work, the accumulated stress eventually causes her to break down. In this emotional state, she ended up shooting her boss and subsequently held up a bank when she tried to deposit a check.
As a consequence, she found herself and several hostages trapped inside the bank, surrounded by police officers, protesters, the FBI, and media cameras.
Spectators find themselves walking in the footsteps of both characters, as well as the hostages, as miscommunications intensify. Simultaneously, they witness a compassionate police officer trying to convince her to surrender peacefully.
The movie offers an intense and impactful portrayal of drama, featuring a compelling act by Henson that provides insight into her character’s perspective.
At the movie’s conclusion, viewers encounter various unexpected turns, which spark numerous queries concerning the true events depicted during the film’s final moments.
As a dedicated cinephile, I must confess that I’m still pondering over the intricate layers hidden in the film’s climax, especially concerning the fate of the captivating character, Janiyah. To unravel the enigma wrapped within this movie’s twist ending sequences, brace yourself for some major spoilers ahead!
Straw ending explained: What happened to Janiyah‘s daughter?
As a passionate cinephile immersed in every scene, I found myself constantly gripped by the weighty question hanging over Janiyah’s storyline: What becomes of her precious daughter? The tension and anticipation were palpable throughout the movie.
The threat of losing her child’s livelihood pushes her to lose her job. In a desperate bid to continue providing for her child, she ultimately resorts to trying to forcefully cash a check at the bank.
As the events unfold, she’s constantly preoccupied with figuring out how she will manage to look after her daughter following these circumstances. She attempts to convey this concern to the compassionate police officer, Kay, and also manages to persuade the bank manager, Nicole, to assist in caring for Aria once she is imprisoned.
When viewers witness Janiyah’s mother calling her on the phone to break the news that Aria has passed away, it is as if they are struck by a shocking revelation. She explains, “Aria suffered a seizure, and we rushed her to the hospital where she ultimately lost her life.
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Upon learning that Janiyah’s daughter has passed away, I found myself staggered. When I shared this heartbreaking news with Nicole, she confided that she had been aware of it all along.
In this instance, viewers might find themselves taken aback, as they had previously witnessed several scenes depicting Aria, Janiyah’s daughter, appearing to be alive and in good health.
As a movie enthusiast, I’m currently finding myself immersed in a sequence that revisits various moments, and there I witness Janiyah engaging in heartfelt dialogues and interactions… only this time, her conversation partners are merely the empty spaces around her.
In instances where other characters are present, the audience is given repeated takes of the same events that effectively communicate she was not actually there at the time.
These scenes clearly indicate that Janiyah is not just under the strain, but seems to be experiencing a severe mental collapse or breakdown of sorts.
Instead of acknowledging the truth, she’s been picturing her daughter as if she were still present, unaware that she had actually passed away due to her illness the previous night.
Is Janiyah alive or dead?
After witnessing the FBI’s resolve to intensify matters, this critical point is succeeded by a startling turn of events as multiple armed officers suddenly storm the building.
Although the hostages had already been freed, these officers were seen surrounding Janiyah and firing their weapons instead.
The last scene seems to deliver a powerful blow at the movie’s conclusion, showing Janiyah lying on the ground, apparently lifeless.
After all the tension and sadness surrounding her predicament had been carefully constructed, and as we watched multiple officers trying to deescalate the situation diplomatically, it became incredibly poignant when…
Sadly, it’s a moment that feels all too believable after many similar scenarios in recent years.
Just a moment or two later, the movie unexpectedly jumps back to the time when Janiyah was still alive, prior to the shown scene.
In simpler terms, we witness her acknowledge that the incident has concluded and she needs to deal with the aftermath. Gradually, along with Nicole, she exits the bank and yields, marking one of the most poignant scenes in the movie.
Initially, it might be unclear to viewers which events are real and which are staged. However, the deceptive gunshot scene undeniably indicates that Janiyah and Nicole understand the potential consequences if they don’t surrender. Moreover, it taps into our collective understanding and apprehensions about how such a scenario could culminate in the worst imaginable outcome.
Ultimately, the movie seems to suggest that she decides to give up, as the final scene shows her being arrested by the police and driven away in a patrol car. However, there are many people who have rallied to support her, allowing her to witness this beforehand.
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2025-06-10 17:38