Overview

• The narrative follows Janiyah, a single mother beset by job loss, eviction and the loss of her daughter’s custody, whose desperation sparks a bank hostage situation
• Taraji P. Henson’s performance is praised for conveying her character’s mounting desperation and cathartic rage
• Reviewers applaud Tyler Perry’s direction and highlight Justyn Moro’s cinematography and Nick Coker’s editing for their polished technical work
• The film’s tense standoff sequence draws inspiration from Dog Day Afternoon while exploring themes of systemic racism, poverty and the challenges of single motherhood
• Critics fault the movie’s melodramatic tone, convoluted plot contrivances and uneven pacing