I wasn't feeling well last weekend and earlier this week. I couldn't function well, so I wasn't able to work or do many things. To distract myself, I watched some movies and anime, read a bunch of comics and so on.
One of the movies I watched on Netflix is called STRAW.
The story was about a single mom named Janiyah. She has a sickly daughter, an eviction notice, two jobs and a whole bunch of other problems. Despite that, she tried to live life one day at a time and didn't forget to help others, even though she could also use some help herself.
When it rains, it pours. This statement perfectly describes her situation.
The movie's setting was confined to a single day. In the morning, she bathed her sickly daughter, Aria, before taking her to school. She discovered that the little girl was being bullied because she couldn't pay her lunch money.
In her part-time job, she's being ridiculed by her boss and other customers. One thing led to another. In one day, she lost her car, her job, her house... and the possibility of losing her daughter due to their situation is high.
To make matters worse, a lot of misunderstandings occurred, leading to people believing that she's robbing a bank and is armed with a gun and a bomb. Here's a trailer of the said movie below...
Do you feel like watching the movie after watching the trailer?
The film was heartbreaking. The situations she experienced, as depicted in the film, may be exaggerated compared to reality, but some of them are experienced by many people. As someone responsible for paying the bills or putting food on the table, her struggles were relatable to some extent. I'm lucky that I got my family and friends backing me up when times get rough, but she had no one.
The setting might be simple, but the storyline was heavy... and I believe Taraji Henson's (Janiyah's actress) acting skills played a huge role in that. I don't know much about this actress, but I've seen her in Hidden Figures, and her acting in that film was also truly impressive.
I also appreciate how the film raises awareness about many socio-economic issues the world is currently facing, including discrimination, abuse of power, and income inequality, to name a few.
I also like how the film depicted people from different walks of life and their interactions, both positive and negative. There were scenes when you might think all hope is lost for humanity, but there were also scenes that restore it. Truly a bumpy and rollercoaster journey.
Finally, the plot twist at the end revealed how unpredictable the human psyche can be. The human mind is amazing!
I'm into psychological dramas and thrillers that explore how the human mind functions and why people behave the way they do. It's quite mysterious despite being part of reality.
There are many aspects of this movie that I like. It may not suit others' taste, but for me, it's the kind of film that touches your soul and makes you realize how terrible and beautiful the world can be.
I'll end my post here. Thanks for reading, and see you around! (^^,)/
