You're sitting there, remote in hand, wondering if you have enough time to squeeze in a movie before bed. Or maybe you're just a completionist who needs the exact specs. Either way, you're asking: how long is the movie Straw? It's a fair question, mostly because there’s actually more than one "Straw" floating around the cinematic ether, and if you don't know which one you're watching, your night might go a lot longer—or shorter—than you planned.
Let's get the big one out of the way first. When most people search for the runtime of Straw, they are looking for the 2011 South Korean psychological thriller (originally titled Jip) directed by Park Sang-hoon.
It's a lean, mean 67 minutes.
Yeah, barely over an hour. It’s practically a long lunch break. But don't let that short runtime fool you into thinking it's a light watch. This movie is a claustrophobic descent into madness that feels much longer—in a good way—because of how it ratchets up the tension.
Why the Runtime of Straw Matters for Your Watchlist
If you're used to the modern trend of three-hour "epics" that probably should have been edited down by forty minutes, Straw is a massive breath of fresh air. Or maybe a gasp of stale air, considering the plot. The film follows a woman who moves into a new apartment, only to find herself increasingly obsessed and paranoid about the previous tenant.
It’s tight.
Every second of those 67 minutes is utilized. There is zero fluff here. No subplots about a secondary character's failing marriage. No artistic shots of trees blowing in the wind for five minutes just to "set the mood." It’s a masterclass in economy of storytelling.
But wait. There's a catch.
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Because the film is so short, it often gets categorized as a "featurette" or a "medium-length film" rather than a standard feature. In the world of film festivals, anything over 40 minutes is technically a feature, but for general audiences, anything under 80 minutes can feel like a bit of a gyp. Honestly, though? Most people who see it realize that if it were 90 minutes, it would lose its punch. It’s like a high-velocity bullet. It hits fast, and it hits hard.
Comparing the Different Straws
Now, if you aren't talking about the South Korean thriller, you might be confused. Cinema history is littered with titles that overlap.
- Straw (2011, South Korea): 67 minutes. This is the psychological thriller.
- Straw (Short Film, 2017): 14 minutes. A short drama about a farmer.
- The Last Straw (2014): 90 minutes. A documentary about food waste.
People get these mixed up constantly. If you're looking at a streaming service and see a runtime of an hour and a half, you aren't watching the Park Sang-hoon film. You’re watching something else entirely.
The Pacing of a 67-Minute Thriller
How does a director even make a movie that short? Usually, it happens in the editing room. Sometimes a film starts at 90 minutes and the director realizes the middle is saggy. They cut. They trim. They excise the fat until only the muscle is left.
In the case of Straw, the pacing is relentless.
It starts with a move-in. It ends with a breakdown. In between, you have a steady escalation of psychological dread. Because you only have about an hour, the character development has to happen through action and environment rather than long monologues. You learn who this woman is by how she touches the wallpaper. You understand her fear by the way she looks at a door handle.
It’s efficient.
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For a lot of viewers, this is the "Goldilocks" length. It’s longer than an episode of Black Mirror but shorter than a standard Marvel flick. It fits into that weird niche of "I want a story, but I don't want to commit my entire evening to it."
The Industry Context: Why So Short?
South Korean independent cinema in the early 2010s was going through a bit of a transformation. While big-budget hits like The Man from Nowhere were dominating the box office with standard runtimes, indie directors were experimenting. They weren't always beholden to the 90-to-120-minute theatrical standard.
If a story is done at 67 minutes, why keep filming?
Director Park Sang-hoon took a risk here. By keeping how long is the movie Straw to such a brief duration, he ensured that the tension never dissipated. In a thriller, tension is like a balloon. If you blow it up too much, it pops. If you let it sit too long, it sags. He tied it off right at the peak.
Where to Find the Real Runtime Specs
If you’re checking IMDB or Letterboxd, you might see slight variations. Sometimes runtimes include the full credits crawl, which can add 3 to 5 minutes. Sometimes they don't.
- Total Runtime (with credits): 71 minutes.
- Actual Narrative Length: 67 minutes.
If you’re watching a version that is significantly longer or shorter, check the regional edits. Sometimes international distributors add a few "making of" clips at the end, or perhaps a director's statement. But the core movie? It’s basically the length of a long podcast.
Is it Worth the 67 Minutes?
Kinda depends on what you like. If you want a movie where everything is explained and there’s a big, cathartic ending with an explosion, skip it. You’ll be annoyed.
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But if you like "slow-burn" (ironic, given the short length) psychological horror that leaves you feeling a bit dirty and confused? It’s perfect. It’s a movie that lives in the shadows of the room. It makes you look at your own apartment differently.
The brevity actually helps the "after-effect." Since the movie ends so abruptly, the themes tend to linger in your head longer. You spend the next twenty minutes—the time you would have been watching a longer movie—just thinking about what the hell you just saw.
Practical Viewing Advice
If you're planning to watch Straw, don't treat it like a background movie. Since it’s only an hour, if you go to the kitchen to make popcorn and don't pause it, you've missed 10% of the film.
- Turn off the lights. It's a dark movie. Literally. The cinematography uses a lot of low-light shots.
- Use headphones. The sound design is a huge part of why the tension works.
- Commit to the hour. Don't check your phone. The movie is shorter than some YouTube video essays; you can make it.
The "Straw" Confusion: Other Movies with Similar Runtimes
It is incredibly common for people to confuse Straw with Straw Dogs. Please, for the love of cinema, don't do that.
Straw Dogs (the 1971 Dustin Hoffman version) is 113 minutes. The 2011 remake is 110 minutes. Those are vastly different films—violent, visceral, and much more "Hollywood" in their structure. If you sit down expecting the 67-minute Korean thriller and end up watching Sam Peckinpah’s siege movie, you are in for a very different, and much bloodier, two hours.
The South Korean Straw is much more psychological. It’s internal. It’s about the walls closing in, not people breaking in.
Final Thoughts on the Length
Basically, how long is the movie Straw is a question with a simple answer: it's 67 minutes of pure, distilled anxiety. It’s one of those rare films that understands that more isn't always better. In an age of "content" that is bloated and padded for the sake of "value," there's something genuinely artistic about a director who says what they need to say and then gets out of the way.
It doesn't overstay its welcome. It doesn't explain itself. It just exists, brief and terrifying, like a bad dream you wake up from just as things are getting weird.
Next Steps for Your Watchlist
- Verify the Director: Before you hit play, make sure the credits say Park Sang-hoon. This ensures you're watching the right film.
- Check the Source: Because it's an older, indie South Korean film, check platforms like Mubi or specialized Asian cinema trackers. It’s not always on the major "big three" streamers.
- Check Your Subs: Since the runtime is so short, every line of dialogue counts. Ensure you have high-quality subtitles, as "fan subs" for shorter indie films can sometimes be hit-or-miss.
- Set the Mood: Clear your schedule for exactly 75 minutes. This gives you time for the movie and a few minutes afterward to sit in the dark and wonder if you should move to a new house.