Straw: The Tyler Perry film’s title has a deeper meaning that fans might have missed

Straw is a film in the thriller genre that was released on June 6, 2025, on Netflix. Tyler Perry has written and directed this film and is also the co-producer, along with Tony Strickland and Angi Bones. The official synopsis for the movie reads as follows,

A single mother 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.

The one-word and simple-sounding title of the film actually has a deeper meaning that is reflective of its plot and character.

Disclaimer: The following article contains major spoilers for Straw.

The true meaning behind the title of Tyler Perry's Straw

Straw follows the life of Janiyah Wiltkinson, who is taking care of her ailing daughter Aria. She is already having a terrible day, but things slowly get worse for her. The title suggests that Aria's death towards the end is the last straw in Janiyah's life. This escalates things for Janiyah, and her day becomes progressively worse. However, her mind tries to convince her that Aria is alive, and the next day, she pretends that her daughter is alive and well.

She ends up shooting her boss and even tries to hold a bank staff hostage. Even though the latter was just her attempt to get cash out of her cheque. Her boss was horrible towards her, and one thing after another kept crashing down.

This movie examines the mental health of women going through motherhood; we see the character's struggle and exhaustion as well as grief.

In an official statement to Netflix, Taraji P. Henson revealed the real meaning of the title. She said that it's about a woman reaching a tipping point in her life.

"Straw is about a woman who reaches her tipping point. Everything that can go wrong, goes wrong in this one day. It’s about how humans operate in that heightened state of panic and anxiety and pressure. When the pot is boiling and it finally explodes, what happens? What does that look like, and how does it affect the people around you?"

Tyler Perry said:

"She’s just trying to survive, trying to be a great mother to her daughter, and then the circumstances in life put her in this situation."

Henson also spoke to People Magazine about her character.

"Janiyah did scare me a lot…. I was drawn to this character because I love giving a voice to the voiceless. I want anybody out there who identifies with Janiyah to know that they're not alone and you are seeing and I see you.”

What are your thoughts on the film?