Image Credit: Chip Bergmann/Perry Well Films 2/Courtesy Netflix
Tyler Perry managed to bring a new cinematic hit to Netflix. Straw, starring Taraji P. Henson, has made waves for its shocking ending. Viewers are thrown with a serious curveball in the final moments of the film, which Taraji even said surprised her. So, what exactly is Straw about?
Below, keep reading to learn more about Straw. (Warning: spoilers are ahead for the movie Straw)
What Is the Tyler Perry Movie Straw About?
According to its IMDb tagline, Straw follows a “single mother [who] navigates a series of unfortunate events, leading her down an unforeseen path where she becomes embroiled in a situation she never envisioned, finding herself at the center of suspicion in an indifferent world.”
Straw focuses on the financial struggles of single mother Janiyah, who stumbles across multiple setbacks throughout her day.
Straw Movie Cast
In addition to Taraji, the Straw cast features Sherri Shepherd as Nicole, Teyana Taylor as Detective Kay Raymond, Sinbad as Benny, Rockmond Dunbar as Chief Wilson, Ashley Versher as Tessa George, Mike Merrill as Detective Grimes and Glynn Turman as Richard.
Credit: Chip Bergmann/Perry Well Films 2/Courtesy Netflix ©2025
Is Straw Based on a True Story?
Straw is not based on a true story, but, according to multiple outlets, Tyler was inspired to write the script about the current economic state and because he grew up witnessing single mothers struggle to provide for their children.
Courtesy of Netflix ©2025
Straw Movie Ending Explained
The ending of Straw caused an uproar on social media. During the final moments of the film, Janiyah’s mother calls to tell her that the FBI is at her home. She then reveals that Aria, Janiyah’s daughter, has been dead the whole day. Aria had a seizure the previous night and died at the hospital.
Flashbacks from Janiyah’s day play out, and viewers learn that she subconsciously suppressed the fact that her daughter died and was living the day as if Aria was still alive. The phone call that Janiyah got from the school was actually a phone call about her overdue bills, but she was mentally detached from reality. Janiyah’s mind was blocking out the trauma of Aria’s demise.
During a June 6, 2025, interview with Decider, Taraji revealed that she was “blown away” while reading the script and was shocked at the ending, but she pointed out that everything “made sense in [her character’s] actions.”
“Because what it showed me was that she snapped a long time ago. She snapped the day before,” Taraji said. “She was just on automatic. She wasn’t even in her body, to be quite honest. I just played the honesty of her living the life, as if nothing happened.”
