In Defence of Straw: A Mirror We'd Rather Not Face

Disclaimer!

I don’t need to shout that I loved Straw—the tears that streamed down my face said enough. Like many others with a conscience, I was moved, broken, and stirred from start to finish.

In the aftermath of watching something emotive and profound, I fell upon posts upon posts of negative comments. "The movie Straw is proof that Tyler perry hates black women." One of them read. "I will not watch Straw because I already know that Tyler wrote about a suffering black woman and I am tired of such narratives. Why can't we have a movie about rich black women, making it in life...", grumbled a black American woman on TikTok. Those comments were uncalled for to me. Unfortunately, that's not the end of it.

Public Backlash: Honest Critic or Performative Outrage?

I acknowledge that the movie may have hit too close to home for most of these people who seem to hate it, but really, I also want to ask, ''Ma'am, who rage-baited you into this?'' Dissecting this movie into tiniest chunks and getting annoyed like, ''Why Janiyah said she was all alone yet she had her mum and sister.'' Well, there is also a poverty of support. When your family, friends, and neighbors cannot be relied upon to help in a time of need. They surely didn't care to be more present for her after the death of her only daughter, and when they finally made contact, the mum was too quick to judge her.

Arguing that Janiyah has her priorities wrong to share her pocket change with a homeless addict is out of pocket. See, some people share not out of surplus but out of kindness, generosity, and regard for another human. Besides, it is not the rich who come to our rescue when in need, in most cases. It is usually the people who can resonate with your struggle that show up and support you. Just a while back, weren't you mad that some billionaire and millionaire folks asked the "common" people to contribute to some donation, or whatever. 

Problematic Critics

Watching someone argue that Tyler Perry should be more careful about his writing because white people will watch that too is appalling. And what then? White people do not understand black neighborhoods, lifestyles, and oppression that benefits them at our expense. He then needs to feed them with better explanations huh? Uhm. But I suppose you understand a white movie. There is no explanation necessary for theirs? First of all, you, Americans, are not his only audience okay? You're not the only black people and unfortunately, not the only ones 'hating themselves.' Sit down, and think!

There's so much going around. 'The movie did more harm than good, but if the point was about mental health then good job.' What does this mean? In this case, a wheel is spinning but it's still suspended. Is it clear that I'd love to see this film getting the accolades it deserves? When I see destructive critics, with people blindly agreeing, I can understand the frustration.

The Internalized Hate Lens

People have been over-critical with black-led, black-made films. They are placed under the most powerful microscope. I'd like to imagine that this pushes us to be better and do better. But hey, we are already so good! Sure some can be very sad, and that's because we have a sad history, and a lot of us still exist in a sad reality. Do you see anything to smile about? I don't suppose you would like a white-washed version of our struggles, or would you?

A movie is pointless if it doesn't address a kind of struggle. Even Disney, with its promise of a good ending, addresses the strains and stresses that their characters face. Besides, didn't you get a rather positive ending from 'straw'? Tyler Perry was generous with that one because the fact is, most black people would not make it out of that situation with their lives. Many youth in my country die for less in the hands of the police. Wasn't it pointed out that the only reason the police didn't crack her down was because of the ''bomb''? Otherwise, there wouldn't have been a negotiation. No wonder the writer had to offer us viewers two possible endings, one depicting our reality, but since this is a work of fiction, we can dream.

Tyler Perry has a specific storytelling lens — one that centers pain, survival, and redemption in the Black experience. And that’s okay. That’s his voice. If it’s not for you, that doesn’t mean it’s invalid — it just means you may need to seek out other Black creators whose work celebrates different aspects of our identity: joy, success, softness, quirkiness. We need many stories, not just one. But silencing one voice doesn’t amplify another.

Racism, Is That You?

The fact that all people have refused to recognize and relate to the black face, and black voice is disheartening. We seem to be trying but there's an unnatural resistance. Have we not celebrated many more films for less? Tyler has made films that seemed ish-ish, but when dissected, he never lies. He always offers an accurate depiction; of black people and religion, black people in relationships, and such. But no, we want him to write about a perfect black woman, just as a black woman is pressured to be perfect, and do nothing wrong. How then will we recognise the areas we need a mind shift?

We need to love ourselves. Because this self-loathing — of our Black faces, Black skin, Black bodies, Black stories — is harming us more than we know. The real issue isn’t just in quality of Black representation but also it’s the quantity. We simply don’t have enough of it. And when we do get it, we tear it apart — sometimes rightfully so, but often without care. We call some of our own films too Westernized or detached from our realities, yet when one dares to hold a mirror up, we turn away from that too.

It's like when you find a Kenyan comment over a medical matter, " Ama walete daktari wa majuu huyo ndio tunaeza trust." Cuzo, What now? Ni nini cousin?

It’s heart-breaking to see how deeply rooted self-hate can show up—even among those demanding better narratives. Sometimes, the loudest critiques come from wounds left unhealed. Do you only feel a little better because the white people are a little more gracious and appreciate your beauty? Just like a child with an abusive caregiver constantly strives for a sign of approval from them. The thing is, the healing we need must come from within, otherwise, we'll always need another group to shift our blame and hatred towards. Result, no balance, no improvement.

The Cultural Relevance of The Movie Straw

I was so happy to see a cast of black people leading the show and being so unforgettable. Every character in this film is so nuanced, no wonder people have something to say about each of them. The cop was dangerous and beyond annoying, Tessa so insensitive, the bank lady so warm, Janiyah so emotive. Taraji completely embodied her character, her voice, her presence, and her tears were all too real. She's always so iconic.

Straw was made to mirror a society — and it did. Times change, societies shift, and cultural nuances evolve, but in the future, when people look back and ask, “What was it like to be poor and Black in America?” — this film will answer that.

It offers a raw, unfiltered portrait of poverty, grief, and the daily struggle of a marginalized group in a powerful nation. It may even help people understand why conversations about mental health had to be normalized — because so many lived under a constant weight, always one moment away from the last straw. And they needed help — real, compassionate, timely help.

So instead of devouring ourselves with endless criticism, let’s acknowledge the pain, honour our stories, and spread some joy and love. That’s how we heal. That’s how we rise. That is how we finally learn to tell of our beauty and relevance.

Pati Muniz - Canva