Tyler Perry’s polarizing new thrillerStrawpulled in nearly 50 million views in its second week on Netflix, making it the biggest week this year for a movie and the biggest week for a 2025 launch on the streaming service. The psychological crime drama has beenwidely panned by criticsbut seems to be faring much better with audiences, having tallied up 48.9 million views in its second week, nearly double – and a 93.3% increase on – that of its opening weekend. The film debuted on June 6 and amassed a viewership of 25.3 million in its first three days.
Strawis led byTaraji P. Henson, who plays Janiyah, a struggling single mother trying to get by in the face of overwhelming odds. Her “world unravels in chaos as her day goes from bad to worse to catastrophic as she struggles to care for her ill daughter,” according to the official synopsis for Perry’s latest film. “Pushed to the brink by a world that seems indifferent to her existence, she’s forced to confront impossible choices in a society that offers her no safety net.” Its record-breaking viewership suggests it is a story that is resonating with audiences.
If ‘Straw’ Is Your Jam, Stay on Netflix for This Other Underrated Tyler Perry Drama
‘Straw’ fans are in luck, as Tyler Perry’s most acclaimed movie, ‘A Jazzman’s Blues,’ is available on Netflix.
Strawseemingly struck a chord with viewers from the outset, as it becamean overnight sensation on IMDb, catapulting up 1,749 points to land itself in the Top 5 most popular movies. The film’s initial success likely helped it garner further attention, prompting people to stream Perry’s newest feature to find out what the fuss is all about. The results of this surge of interest meant thatStrawoutpaced the viewership ofTitan: The OceanGate Submersible Disaster, which was the second most-watched film of the week with 17.4 million views.
Why Are Critics and Audiences So Divided on ‘Straw’?
Strawcontinues a troubling pattern for Perry that sees critics and audiences divided over his body of work. His last five movies have earned a “rotten” score from critics on Rotten Tomatoes, but have achieved much higher audience ratings. His newest Netflix film, which is part ofhis multi-year, first-look dealwith the streamer, is no exception. It currently holds a 50% “splat” score on the Tomatometer, which marks a slight improvement on where it was five days ago but is still vastly lower than the 71% approval rating on the Popcornmeter.
The main faults that critics have found withStrawappear to be around the convoluted plot andthe shocking twist at the end of the film, which many found to be unnecessary. Perry has, however, built a loyal audience for himself through his many appearances in films and television shows over the years, and some of those people have found positives with his latest directorial endeavor. Much of the praise is directed at the cast, particularly Henson, who seemingly managed to forge an emotional connection with those watching at home.
As of today,Strawremains in Netflix’s Top 10 in all territories around the world and maintains its No. 1 spot worldwide, ahead ofK.O., Titan: The OceanGate Submersible Disaster, Happy Gilmore,andTrainwreck: Mayor of Mayhem, rounding out the Top 5. It is Perry’s second Netflix feature of 2025, followingDuplicity, and appears to be one of his best-received and most successful films since his deal with Netflix began.Straw’s momentum shows no signs of slowing down, especially as more people tune in and talk about it.
Sources:Netflix,FlixPatrol
