Straw

As always Taraj P Henson is outstanding. Shes one of the best actors in Hollywood in my opinion. The movie starts out very good and tense.the story is typical of a hostage style bank robber who's had a bad day formula. It is pretty much an all black cast and that is cool being a Tyler Perry movie. It highlights the difficulty of a single black mother who is trying desperately to take care of her sick child in a world where nobody cares about her or her child. She is just in a terrible situation that only seems to get worse as the day goes on. It's nothing super original in that aspect. I guess where the message gets a bit mixed is that just because someone is on hard times and is having a terrible day or whatever doesnt make it ok to go into a bank with a gun and pull it on a bank teller for not cashing your check due to policy procedures. I get the feeling that Tyler Perry goes for us to feel bad and even look past a crime because it is a black woman . I mean people of all colors go through the exact same thing and is someone supposed to be totally forgiven because they are a minority? In the film a she cuts off a white cop on her way to her daughters school and of course he is a racist who drives her off the road and then tells her if he sees her again he's going to shoot her right in front of a female white officer who tells the white male cop to leave but still writes her a ticket that Taraj Henson character can't affords. I mean that is totally a ridiculous premise and we all get tickets we can't afford and again, is the officer supposed to not give her a ticket because she is black ? It just seems like the message is if you are a minority going through a hard time then you should be forgiven or given a break over others because of the color of your skin and that should not be the case. I'm sure people will think I'm being offensive, and I get that things are different between minorities and law enforcement but I don't understand really the message that Tyler Perry is going for if it is in fact that somehow because of race that it's ok to commit crimes and take people hostage because someone is going through a hard time in life. It's a fine movie and I enjoyed it but this mixed message I'm sure does not go unnoticed by many people.

I actually really like the story for this movie, more than I thought it would. It was in many ways relatable, and often left me deep in thought about societal ills. For that I give it credit.

The writing is so so. A lot of the dialogue especially was very amateurish and unrealistic. This also made the actors seem worse than they were.

The lead(s) did amazing, absolutely nailed it. A lot of the rest of the cast, especially most if not all of the people portraying police, seemed really poorly acted, however.

That's where I landed on a 6. I think it's a good movie that most people will enjoy, but had too many warts to rate much higher.

Turned on Netflix, new release and started watching while doing tasks... 5 min into movie I had to sit and watch. The emotional journey for the character- Mom Janiyah, grips your heart and as you're watching the story be told- you realize you're rooting for her to not be alone and be okay. This story, the characters were all developed with complexity that each actor reflected so well- I didn't feel I was watching a movie but I felt apart of the story right up to the credits at end. Thank you for a well written story, talented actors and production that made 2 hrs worth watching- it's been a long time since I felt anything from a movie.

I've never seen a Tyler Perry movie before, but this is certainly not what I expected! The movie is absolutely heart-wrenching, with devastatingly emotional performances by Taraji P. Henson and the other actresses. Some of the side characters felt a little off, but not so much as to take away from the main story.

The movie is labelled as a thriller, but it feels more like a horror movie where the villain is America and its many oppressive systems that compound to make life difficult for everyday people.

The movie did feel a little too long at times, with certain elements dragging on unnecessarily long. The twist at the end was unexpected, but welcome, as it added another layer to the main character's actions and led me to revisit some early moments in the movie with a new perspective.

Overall, I thought it was very good, and I would recommend it.

Some will not understand or relate. The acting was great. Ms. Henson did what she was asked to do. I applaud her. She played with the knowledge of a true artist. Tyler Perry got the right person for his vision. I've been watching her make the rounds on different talk shows and platforms to promote this movie, but I had no idea I would enjoy it as much as I did. I highly recommend this movie. It is fantastic. I can't wait to see what my family and others think of her performance. Tariji made every dime she's being paid for this one. I've been watching her for a long time, she knows her craft.

Congratulations.