logo
Straw (2025) Ending Explained – Does Janiyah get her daughter back?

Straw (2025) Ending Explained – Does Janiyah get her daughter back?

The Review Geek06-06-2025

Straw Plot Summary
The story here predominantly centers on a single mother named Janiyah. She works two jobs, is eking out a living, can barely afford to pay rent on her dingy apartment, and is close to breaking point. Unfortunately, today is going to be the worst day of her life.
After dropping her daughter off at school, Janiyah finds herself in trouble with the police, fired from her job, and left on the street when she can't pay the overdue rent to her abrasive landlord.
Intervening in the middle of a robbery, Janiyah shoots the robber and then turns the gun on her boss and pulls the trigger. Heading to a nearby bank with her bloodied cheque, her backpack (including her daughter's science project, which looks suspiciously like a bomb), and a handgun, a stand-off ensues as police close in on her.
What's going on with Aria?
We soon learn across the movie that Aria suffers from seizures and has asthma. She also appears to be bullied at school (it's never outright said, but her teacher seems to hold a grudge against her) and is very much Janiyah's entire world. It doesn't help that she was born premature and without health insurance, its constantly been an uphill battle for her as a single mother.
Janiyah talks about her situation, and her speech is broadcast out across the nation. Everybody empathizes with her plight and even the landlord listens, although she's clearly behind on rent given the earlier eviction notices on the counter we saw earlier in the movie.
What happens during negotiations?
Raymond gets emotional during her negotiations with Janiyah, ignoring everyone and deciding to talk about her own situation. She empathizes with her as a single mother herself and hope it works out for her.
Unfortunately, the FBI rock up outside just as groups carrying placards reading 'Free Janiyah' also arrive. The FBI are led by a man named Bryce, who attempts to strong-arm the situation and force Janiyah out the bank.
Officer Sam is here and tells Raymond about the earlier incident on the road. Near the beginning of the film, Officers Sam and Oliver stopped Janiyah over an expired licence but Oliver also hit her on the road too. Oliver is the one responsible for taking Janiyah's car away.
What's the twist?
Raymond decides to approach the bank before Bryce and his men can force their way in and shows off the picture of Officer Oliver, a man who is going to be reprimanded for his part to play in this.
All the hostages inside the bank are let go, while Nicole, the bank manager, decides to stay and wait with Janiyah. Janiyah's phone turns back on here and the FBI arrive with her mum. She rings and has awful news. Aria is dead. She had a seizure and died at the hospital the previous night. So the whole time Janiyah has been imagining Aria. The phone call at work was about overdue debts, the school were confused over her arriving, and working on the science project appears to be a coping mechanism.
Janiyah finally realizes the truth, and she comes out with Nicole to face the police. She's bundled in the back of a police car and taken away, ready to face murder and hostage charges.
What will happen to Janiyah?
In the end, Janiyah winds up succumbing to her grief, with the twist at the end involving Aria clearly obscured from all of us and not used during negotiations for some reason. Given the police would have found out earlier about Aria's death, they could have used this as a negotiation tool and tried to get Janiyah out of the bank this way
By the time the final credits roll, the disenfranchised are out in support of Janiyah but unfortunately it's unlikely to be a happy ending for our protagonist. She still killed two people, held hostages against their will and clearly needs psychiatric care. There's also video footage of all of this so no matter what way you slice it, she's going to be behind bars for a while.
Unfortunately, this is a bad ending for a woman experiencing the worst day of her life.
Read More: Straw Movie Review

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Tamara Ecclestone slams £26m jewellery crooks after tiny amount they repaid before being deported is revealed
Tamara Ecclestone slams £26m jewellery crooks after tiny amount they repaid before being deported is revealed

The Sun

time13 minutes ago

  • The Sun

Tamara Ecclestone slams £26m jewellery crooks after tiny amount they repaid before being deported is revealed

TAMARA Ecclestone has blasted three foreign crooks deported after repaying just £37,000 following her £26million gem raid, saying: 'There will never be any justice.' They were kicked out of Britain in an early removal scheme, despite coughing up just a fraction of the proceeds from the heist at the heiress's mansion. 5 But Tamara, 40, daughter of F1 tycoon Bernie Ecclestone, said: 'I have not received any compensation for the burglary but no amount could ever compensate for the aggressive home invasion we suffered.' Jugoslav Jovanovic, 27, Alessandro Maltese, 48, and Alessandro Donati, 47, were jailed for a total of 28 years in November 2021 over the 2019 heist in Kensington, West London. In a proceeds of crime confiscation order, a judge told the Italians to repay £435,000. But a Sun on Sunday Freedom of Information request revealed payments of just £30,376.79, £2,155.53 and £4,349.65 respectively. They were deported having served a fraction of their sentences — and will now walk free. Tamara said: 'My children are in fear that thieves could return to the house while they are sleeping. There will never be any justice for that.' Tory MP Sir John Hayes said: 'These criminals should serve the remainder of their sentence in Italy. "They should not be allowed to walk the streets. "We have to work with the Italian authorities to try to recover the proceeds of this robbery.' The CPS said it will seek more cash if other assets are discovered. Tamara Ecclestone documentary- Shocking footage shows trail of destruction after £25m jewellery heist at £70m home 5 5 5

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris attend funeral of slain Minnesota lawmaker
Joe Biden and Kamala Harris attend funeral of slain Minnesota lawmaker

The Guardian

time19 minutes ago

  • The Guardian

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris attend funeral of slain Minnesota lawmaker

Democratic former Minnesota state house speaker Melissa Hortman was honored for her legislative accomplishments and her humanity during a funeral on Saturday that was attended by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. The president and vice-president were joined by more than 1,000 other mourners. Hortman was shot to death during a pair of attacks two weeks earlier by a man posing as a police officer. Minnesota's chief federal prosecutor has called the killing an assassination. The shootings also left her husband, Mark, dead and a state senator and his wife seriously wounded. 'Melissa Hortman will be remembered as the most consequential speaker in Minnesota history. I get to remember her as a close friend, a mentor and the most talented legislator I have ever known,' Minnesota's governor, Tim Walz, said in his eulogy. Walz, who was Harris's running mate in the 2024 White House election won by Donald Trump, added: 'For seven years, I have had the privilege of signing her agenda into law. I know millions of Minnesotans get to live their lives better because she and Mark chose public service and politics.' Neither Biden nor Harris spoke, but they sat in the front row with Walz. Biden was also one of more than 7,500 people who paid their respects on Friday as Hortman, her husband and their golden retriever, Gilbert, lay in state in the Minnesota capitol rotunda in St Paul. Gilbert was seriously wounded in the attack and had to be euthanized. Biden also visited the wounded senator in a hospital. Dozens of current and former state legislators from both parties and other elected officials who worked with Hortman also attended. As House speaker, Hortman helped pass an expansive agenda of liberal initiatives such as free lunches for public school students along with strengthened protections for abortion and trans rights during a momentous 2023 legislative session. With the House split 67-67 between Democrats and Republicans this year, she yielded the gavel to a Republican under a power-sharing deal, took the title speaker emerita and helped break a budget impasse that threatened to shut down state government. Walz said Hortman – who was first elected in 2004 – saw her mission as 'to get as much good done for as many people as possible'. And he said her focus on people was what made her so effective. 'She certainly knew how to get her way – no doubt about that,' Walz said. 'But she never made anyone feel that they'd gotten rolled at a negotiating table. That wasn't part of it for her, or a part of who she was. She didn't need somebody else to lose to win for her.' The governor said the best way to honor the Hortmans would be by following their example. 'Maybe it is this moment where each of us can examine the way we work together, the way we talk about each other, the way we fight for things we care about,' Walz said. 'A moment when each of us can recommit to engaging in politics and life the way Mark and Melissa did – fiercely, enthusiastically, heartily, but without ever losing sight of our common humanity.' A private burial for the Hortmans will be held at a later date. The Hortmans were proud of their adult children, Sophie and Colin Hortman, and the lawmaker often spoke of them. In a voice choked with emotion, Colin said his parents embodied the 'Golden Rule', and he read the prayer of St Francis, which his mother always kept in her wallet. He said it captures her essence. It starts: 'Lord, make me an instrument of your peace.' After the service, Walz presented the children with US and Minnesota flags that flew over the state capitol on the day their parents were killed. The man accused of killing the Hortmans at their home in the Minneapolis suburb of Brooklyn Park on 14 June, and wounding Democratic state senator John Hoffman and his wife, Yvette, at their home in nearby Champlin, surrendered near his home the night of 15 June. Vance Boelter, 57, of Green Isle, remains jailed and has not entered a plea to charges that could carry the federal death penalty.

Fury as severely-burned puppy named Gideon is nearly left for dead... and no one will be charged
Fury as severely-burned puppy named Gideon is nearly left for dead... and no one will be charged

Daily Mail​

time22 minutes ago

  • Daily Mail​

Fury as severely-burned puppy named Gideon is nearly left for dead... and no one will be charged

A severely-burned Jack Russell Terrier puppy named Gideon captured hearts worldwide - but despite his agony, prosecutors won't press charges. The Wayne County Prosecutor's Office in Michigan announced Friday that no one will be held responsible for the horrific injuries suffered by Gideon, who was allegedly placed into a tub of scalding water in a Detroit home during a heated family argument. 'I'm so upset,' Kelly LaBonty, Director of the Detroit Animal Welfare Group (DAWG) told Click on Detroit. 'How can you not prosecute that? How can you not? I just can't even believe it.' The case has drawn international attention and inspired widespread protests. But prosecutors now say the evidence does not support charges that could hold up in court. The disturbing incident began in the early hours of January 12, when a 19-year-old woman called 911 to report that her mother was drunk and antagonizing her at their home on Maddelien Street in Detroit. Officers arrived and made the mother leave, sending her across the street to stay with her son. But just hours later, the mother called 911 to report that her puppy - later identified as Gideon - had been badly burned. She initially said she didn't witness what happened, but minutes later called again and claimed her daughter had thrown the dog into hot water. 'This is a dangerous person that's out here - someone who can do that to an animal,' LaBonty said. 'They need to be behind bars.' By the time police arrived back at the home, Gideon was in visible distress, suffering from burns on his legs and face. Officers noted that the mother had not directly witnessed the incident. The 19-year-old daughter claimed Gideon had jumped into a bath she'd run earlier. Her boyfriend, who had been upstairs at the time, confirmed they heard the dog scream and then pulled him from the water. A 13-year-old sister also said she'd heard Gideon crying and saw him burned - but told officers the puppy was too small to jump into the tub on his own. According to court documents, a veterinary expert later examined Gideon and determined the burn pattern did not match a dog jumping into a tub. Instead, the injuries suggested Gideon had been placed hind legs first into the scalding water, then remained there for several seconds - or even minutes. Gideon was treated at a veterinary hospital for 10 days, then transferred to a foster home where he continued outpatient care. His injuries were extensive: third-degree burns, necrotic skin, bacterial infections, weight loss, refusal to walk, and extreme pain. Still, prosecutors say they can't determine beyond a reasonable doubt who hurt him. 'People are correct about this: Gideon… suffered horrific abuse,' said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy in a lengthy statement. 'But in every crime, we must be able to prove WHO did it. We are not able to do that in this case.' The decision not to prosecute has enraged DAWG and animal lovers around the world, many of whom have followed Gideon's recovery closely. His story has spread as far as the UK, Australia, and Africa. 'There's a police report with the mother stating what happened,' said LaBonty. 'There's evidence. I just don't understand. This is why it happens all the time.' More than 1,500 people showed up to meet Gideon at a restaurant fundraiser. Others have sent gifts and letters from across the U.S., including Tennessee, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. Online posts have flooded the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office with demands for justice. But Worthy stood by the decision. 'We must charge what we can prove,' she said. 'We must be able to prove who did this horrible injustice, and we cannot do that in this case.' The investigation, which began in late February and continued through early June, included interviews with multiple family members. Prosecutors say inconsistencies and the family's shared living arrangements raised concerns of a coordinated story. Key witnesses, including a younger sibling, were never made available for forensic interviews. 'Some think we should've just rounded up everyone in the house and charged them all,' Worthy said. 'We are certainly not going to arrest and charge everyone that we think are responsible - that must be backed up by evidence.' Despite the disappointment, LaBonty and DAWG vow to continue fighting for animal abuse victims like Gideon. 'I hope we obviously get prosecution for Gideon and not just a slap on the wrist,' she said earlier in the investigation. 'We have to be the voice for all the animals. It's not just Gideon. Gideon's just a small part of the story.' For now, the case is closed - but the outrage isn't. 'This is serious,' LaBonty said. 'And the system failed him.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store