For the love of good movies, I try not to miss any. Of course, it’s impossible to watch them all, but I keep my eyes open. One day, while scrolling through my phone, I came across a movie titled STRAW. The buzz around it caught my attention, so I downloaded it immediately to see if it was worth the hype.
[Source](https://images.app.goo.gl/dZAZNFdypUs3AZAn8)
STRAW is a powerful film that portrays the everyday struggles of a typical individual or should I say, an average person? Yes, it reflects the reality of many. The cinematography is impressive, and what I especially liked was that the story hooked me from the very beginning. I’ve seen movies that lose me within the first few minutes, but STRAW was compelling enough to keep watching.
The film centers around a woman in her thirties, a single mother to a young daughter who is medically challenged. She has a job, but her salary barely covers the basics. She's constantly struggling to pay rent, cover her daughter’s school lunch fees, and sometimes there’s no food at all at home.
One particular day becomes the worst day of her life, a day that pushes her to the edge. It’s the last day of the month. She informs her boss that she needs to quickly visit her daughter’s school after being called to settle overdue lunch payments. He grants her just one hour.
She rushes to the bank to withdraw the little money left in her account, only to be disappointed. Frustrated, she heads to her daughter’s school, only to find that child welfare services have already come to take her daughter away. They claim she’s unfit to care for her child. Despite her tears and pleas, they refuse to return her daughter.
Trying to return to work, she accidentally hits a policeman’s car. The officer lashes out at her as if he already had a personal grudge. A female officer asks for her license—it's expired. They impound her car, leaving her in the pouring rain.
Soaked and emotionally drained, she returns to work, only to be scolded for being late. When she tries to explain, her boss fires her. She asks for her paycheck for the month, but he refuses to give it to her. Defeated, she heads home, only to find her belongings thrown outside in the rain. That moment breaks her.
Desperate, she goes back to her workplace to demand her pay. Her boss still refuses. In the midst of the argument, robbers burst in. Her boss accuses her of setting them up. In a struggle, she grabs a gun, kills one of the robbers, and in a fit of rage and despair, kills her boss too. She takes her paycheck and leaves.
At the bank, she simply wants to cash her cheque, but the staff insists she present her ID, which she left at home. When they refuse to help, she pulls out the gun. Chaos erupts. She pleads that she’s not there to rob anyone—she just wants her hard-earned money. Eventually, the scene goes viral, and people begin to understand her pain. Some even start supporting her.
Then, she receives a heartbreaking phone call from her mother—her daughter has died. That was the final straw. Her spirit shattered, she surrenders to the police.
While most people may not experience the exact situations portrayed in STRAW, many resonate deeply with the film. Life for the average person is often full of unexpected and overwhelming challenges. I love this movie because the writer clearly understands and captures what many people go through. It’s a story that reflects real-life pain, frustration, and the silent battles people fight everyday.
The pictures are not mine and they are cited.