Movie review
June 5, 2025 · 105 min · R
Woke Score
Lower is better
Review
The story constantly frames the Black single mother's breakdown as caused by systemic racism, institutional failures, and societal neglect aimed at Black women. It piles on racial bias from police, banks, healthcare, and CPS the entire way through while centering Black sisterhood as the only lifeline. The narrative drives every misfortune through Black trauma, mental health crisis, and identity-based oppression with heavy-handed messaging and a feminist protest sign.
Breakdown
These are the editorial factors and ratings behind our score for STRAW.
Woke representation / casting
all-Black cast centering Black single mother trauma signals identity focus.
Woke political dialogue
explicit lines on systemic racism, Black women's struggles, and institutional barriers plus feminist slogan.
Identity-driven story themes
narrative engine is Black single mother's trauma, grief, and sisterhood under oppression.
Western institutional / cultural critique
constantly portrays police, banks, healthcare, and CPS as racially biased and indifferent to Black women.
Woke character or canon changes
Not relevant
Production
Anti-woke backlash and complaints
some backlash calls out racial victim narrative and woke race messaging.
Creator track record context
Tyler Perry pattern of Black women's struggle and trauma stories.
