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One of Them Days Delights Enough

Keke Palmer and SZA in Tri-Star Picture’s ONE OF THEM DAYS (Photo by Anne Marie Fox)

One of Them Days is a relaxing comedy. Despite its premise of beleaguered best friends having the worst day ever, the film is oddly calming as it flows to a satisfying conclusion. However, the way there isn’t exactly a casual stroll. Comedic bumps in the road keep the humor hopping, but that doesn’t mean the story doesn’t occasionally run out of steam. One of Them Days joins the ranks of numerous mid-tier joyrides that are funny enough to brighten a day, while never doing anything fresh enough to be truly memorable.

The first of the month is driving folks a bit batty. Demanding landlord Uche, played by Rizi Timane (Decker), is banging on doors threatening eviction if one penny is a second late. However, best friends and roommates Dreux and Alyssa, portrayed by Keke Palmer (Nope) and SZA (Insecure), are feeling safe. That is until they realize Alyssa’s f*ckboy Keshawn (Joshua David Neal) stole their rent. From then on out it’s a humorous harried rush to get the cash while problems compound along the way.

Keke Palmer and SZA in Tristar Pictures ONE OF THEM DAYS. Dreux and Alyssa riding around in Alyssa's colorful car.
Keke Palmer and SZA in Tristar Pictures ONE OF THEM DAYS

One of Them Days excellently establishes a sense that a happy ending might not be coming. Every time the two leading ladies seem close to some cash circumstances arrive that snatch satisfaction out of their hands. This propels them along a plot of increasing complications until it seems there’s no sunshine at the end of this hard road. That helps keep a viewer engaged wondering just how they’re going to dig themselves out of this hell hole, while simultaneously curious which ways they’re going to get kicked right back in.

Throughout the film there’s a great sense of the ways some folks are living in quicksand. Several jokes stem from relatable situations too many people find themselves experiencing. That gives One of Them Days a certain amount of messaging without feeling preachy. It comedically highlights how decent people can be doing everything they can to get by, but circumstances just won’t allow folks to catch a break.

Buddy comedies like this often involve main characters coming to some realization about their lives. This inevitably allows them to overcome the various obstacles they’ve encountered. One of Them Days is certainly similar to such films echoing sentiments seen in the likes of Dope (2015), Friday (1995), and I dare say House Party (1990). Essentially, movies where lovable misfits find themselves in humorous, ever worsening scenarios, eventually having to grapple with maturity. However, despite capturing the flavor of such flicks, One of Them Days does very little with the formula that’s fresh.

SZA and Keke Palmer in Tri-Star Picture’s ONE OF THEM DAYS (Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures). Alyssa and Dreux lying under a car, hiding out in fear.
SZA and Keke Palmer in Tri-Star Picture’s ONE OF THEM DAYS (Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures)

Still, that doesn’t mean the movie isn’t without its uniquely tasty tidbits. Thanks to the delightful chemistry between SZA and Keke Palmer, the two have wonderful comedic banter. It’s easy to buy them as best friends. The opening of the film fantastically establishes their identities as individuals while also bringing the audience into their situation. From the poor quality apartment that doesn’t even seem worth having, to the charming community surrounding, One of Them Days invites viewers into a well-realized scenario. That helps set up a lot of punchlines over the course of the film which often pay off.

Still, audiences aren’t likely to leave with a busted gut. Although One of Them Days is charmingly amusing for the most part, its main hiccups are that the story occasionally stops while characters discuss what they need to do next. Instead of carrying the narrative forward some sections seem to be reminding viewers of the plot. These could have been opportunities for comedic takes on the ludicrous nature of what’s just ensued, but writer Syreeta Singleton never goes that route.

Director Lawrence Lamont is, perhaps, better known for music videos at this point in his career. That said, he’s done several episodes of the tv show Rap Sh!t (2022). Yet, One of Them Days is a decent move towards movies. Things stay grounded in their presentation. Certain choices are reminiscent of the videos he’s made with Big Sean and J. Cole, but the director never pulls too many cards from an old deck — whatever slickness there is never detaches the picture from a relatable reality.

Maude Apatow in Tri-Star Picture’s ONE OF THEM DAYS (Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures). Dead eyed white hipster with a forced phony smile moving into an apartment complex on the first step towards gentrification.
Maude Apatow in Tri-Star Picture’s ONE OF THEM DAYS (Photo courtesy of Sony Pictures)

Comedies live and die by their cast. Fortunately, One of Them Days has some solid performers. Keke Palmer is wonderful as the exasperated Dreux, especially as she sees her chance to escape the paycheck-to-paycheck mire. SZA shines as the artsy optimistic Alyssa, who sees the best in people even when she needs to see the worst. Aziza Scott (Home Before Dark) plays Berniece, a humorously hazardous young lady the leads fall afoul of, and although her portrayal is fierce, it walks the fine line between believably dangerous and unserious comedic villainy. Meanwhile, Joshua David Neal (A Black Lady Sketch Show) is all in as Keshawn, a laughable sniveling womanizer worthy of contempt.

Maude Apatow (Euphoria) continues the nepo baby trend of adding nothing to a movie a thousand other performers couldn’t do as well if not better. Fortunately, other small roles are fabulously filled by the likes of Lil Rey (Get Out), Katt Williams (Friday After Next), and Janelle James (Abbot Elementary). What matters, though, is no one ever robs the overall film of its lighthearted charm.

SZA and Keke Palmer in Tri-Star Picture’s ONE OF THEM DAYS (Photo by Anne Marie Fox). Alyssa and Dreux on a balcony surrounded by colorful lights on a string.
SZA and Keke Palmer in Tri-Star Picture’s ONE OF THEM DAYS (Photo by Anne Marie Fox)

One of the things screenwriter Syreeta Singleton does expertly is connect circumstances throughout the movie. It never feels contrived why certain individuals are encountered or why situations devolve the way they do. A lot of the comedic calamity in One of Them Days stems from well-written characters behaving according to their personalities. Furthermore, there’s a plausibility to the way things unfold, particularly Berniece hunting the two leading ladies around town. Calamity and comedy are consequences of choices.

One of Them Days is a fun flick ideal for anyone searching out fresh comedy. Though it feels familiar to other movies, this one stands on its own thanks to several amusing performances alongside a respectable script. Solidly set in a relatable situation, One of Them Days has enough laughs and optimism to ease a bad day.

Written by Jay Rohr

J. Rohr is a Chicago native with a taste for history and wandering the city at odd hours. In order to deal with the more corrosive aspects of everyday life he writes the blog www.honestyisnotcontagious.com and makes music in the band Beerfinger. His Twitter babble can be found @JackBlankHSH.

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