Straw

Janiyah wakes up with her daughter Aria, preparing her for school and bathing her. She warns Aria not to touch her science project. Aria shows frustration about her limitations and the school's announcement about her lunch, setting an emotionally tense morning.

Janiyah leaves her apartment, giving change to a neighbor in a wheelchair. Her landlord warns her about potential eviction if rent isn't paid by 10:00 a.m. This adds financial pressure to her already stressful morning.

Janiyah drops Aria at school, where the principal gives her a strange look, indicating concern or suspicion. She then heads to her grocery store job, feeling overwhelmed and stressed.

While at work, a customer throws a bottle at Janiyah after she refuses WIC assistance. Her boss orders her to clean up quickly. She later receives news that Aria was injured during a seizure at home, increasing her anxiety.

Janiyah rushes to the bank to withdraw money for Aria's lunch, but the line is too long. At school, authorities take Aria into custody, despite her pleas, escalating Janiyah's distress.

Driving in the rain, Janiyah accidentally cuts off a police officer, who retaliates by throwing a drink and running her off the road. Police impound her car due to expired documents, compounding her troubles.

Janiyah returns to her work to find she has been fired. Upon arriving home, she discovers her belongings have been thrown out and she’s been evicted, leaving her with nowhere to go.

While confronting her former boss at the store, two armed robbers break in. When Janiyah refuses to hand over Aria's backpack, she is assaulted, grabs a gun, and ends up shooting both robbers in self-defense. She also kills her boss in panic.

Fleeing the scene, Janiyah pulls her paycheck from her boss, only to be threatened at the bank and forced to pull a gun to cash her check. The situation escalates with a bank robbery and a hostage situation.

Detective Raymond mediates over the phone, building rapport with Janiyah. A live stream generates public sympathy, and Raymond works to apprehend the threatening officer. Janiyah ultimately releases the hostages after confirming the officer's identity.

Janiyah receives a phone call from her mother, revealing Aria died during her seizure the previous night. A flashback shows Aria’s presence during the day was a hallucination, and the school and CPS had never contacted her.

As authorities prepare to storm the bank, Janiyah experiences a hallucination of being shot, but in reality, she peacefully surrenders to Detective Raymond. Nicole, the bank manager, stays nearby, understanding the tragic truth.