Keke Palmer and SZA’s uproarious dream-team duo meet a deftly woven thread of universal social commentary in Lawrence Lamont’s One of Them Days—a whirlwind buddy comedy that keeps the stakes (and the laughs) sky-high.
★★★★☆
Lawrence Lamont’s feature debut One of Them Days may be the latest entry into the buddy comedy genre, yet it exudes a classic ‘they don’t make ‘em like this anymore’ feel that’s drawn resemblances to the 1995 cult-comedy classic Friday since its conception. And it’s not exactly an off-base comparison, given hints of the latter’s influence. One of Them Days is a black-led, uproarious romp that plays on familiar beats, embroiling its leads in a high-stakes, money-chasing, do-or-die race across South LA—all within the span of one day. Even Issa Rae, who produced the film, acknowledged experiencing that same nostalgic rush upon first reading Syreeta Singleton’s screenplay. But, as she was quick to clarify, One of Them Days “is its own unique story that will stand on its own”.
And it more than holds its own. While the film makes its references clear, it wastes no time establishing its much-needed modernised take, with Keke Palmer and SZA leading the charge. Their on screen sisterhood, grounded in shared ambitions and all too relevant struggles, not only powers the pulse of the film’s action but also offers a palpable emotional core to invest in—breathing new life into a genre that has long sidelined Black women.
At its heart is Dreux, a diner waitress played by Palmer with a compelling and natural relatability, whose internal conflict to break from the paycheck-to-paycheck cycle is transparent from the moment we meet her. Yet, on the day of her life-altering corporate job interview, her will to overcome her circumstances is tested when everything that could possibly go wrong, and then some, does. Enter Alyssa, Dreux’s spiritual but scattered best friend and roommate, a struggling artist whose well-meaning nature is often overshadowed by hilariously disastrous decision-making. SZA’s sincere and endearingly zany performance immediately reveals this history—but it’s her latest blunder that drives it into the full focus of the plot.
After Alyssa’s freeloading, slacker boyfriend Keshawn (Joshua Neal) has taken off with their rent money, the blindsided duo are thrown into a frantic race-against-time to make back the losses. An onscreen, boldly italicised countdown ensures that the urgency of their predicament stays in view. With Dreux’s interview looming, and only two hours afterward to evade eviction, their fast-talking, counterbalanced dynamic comes to the forefront. Though founded upon the well-worn archetype of the level-headed character paired with a more impulsive counterpart, Singleton’s groundwork and Palmer and SZA’s chemistry elevates the formula. With effortless comedic timing, the pair deliver the perfect foil—heightening the hilarity through a series of riotous get-rich-quick schemes. From brushes with “tumbleweaves”, getting laughed out of a payday loan office, a nightmarish blood bank ordeal to a last-ditch crawl up a telephone pole to swipe Jordan’s—the gags are relentless. Each sequence is shot with pulsating energy, where the escalating absurdity is matched only by the leading duo’s mounting desperation.
Lamont’s direction dives One of Them Days headfirst into full-throttle, madcap comedy. Yet, in its unapologetic upping of the ante, the pacing occasionally risks losing its footing. Nowhere is this more frustratingly evident than in the arbitrary subplot featuring the vengeful gang member, King Lolo (Amin Joseph). The overstretched storyline unsettles the tone, becoming an unnecessary detour that inflates the absurdity to a point where it becomes more exhausting than entertaining. But while the King Lolo subplot misses the mark, the film strikes a more authentic and resonant note with a deftly woven gentrification thread. When their unforgiving landlord Uche (Rizi Timane) takes delight in the presence of their well-to-do and perky white neighbour (Maude Apatow), the film rings profoundly true in its portrayal of the anxieties felt within their predominantly Black apartment complex as the threat of gentrification looms. This thread, not only viscerally heightens the urgency of Dreux and Alyssa’s chase, but also captures the universal systemic pressures at play, broadening the film’s thematic core beyond the expected scope of its genre.
But, Lamont succeeds most by not losing sight of the film’s most compelling tension—the frustrating but equally enthralling bond between its leads. There’s a constant affectionate and dynamic rapport between the two, whether in sincere exchanges of empowering affirmations that sustain their resilience or in exasperating confrontations that test their relationship. Despite engaging with pressing socio-economic realities, the film avoids heavy-handed lingering, instead spotlighting their uplifting, shared commitment to actively taking charge of their situation. The film finds its anchoring power in the pair’s emotional rhythm, providing a reliable counterpoint in a film, which rarely lets up on the chaos.
Still, the imbalance in emotional depth between Dreux and Alyssa’s characters doesn’t go unnoticed. This most revealingly plays out in the pivotal and quietly devastating turn in the film, where Dreux reaches a crossroads. Here, Palmer impresses, leveraging an emotional weight that ensures the inner turmoil of Dreux’s conflicting worlds is deeply felt. While her dramatic presence takes hold, SZA’s undeniable comedic flair is not met with the same level of depth from the screenplay. Though not a fatal flaw, the plot’s reliance on Alyssa’s recklessness occasionally becomes frustrating rather than entertaining, especially when it threatens to undermine the story’s emotional core. These gaps in her characterisation become even more glaring as the film unfolds, the narrative relying on us to unquestionably forgive her shortcomings with little incentive while insisting on the strength of the sisterly bond the story centres around.
The Verdict
Although it stumbles in a few areas of underdevelopment and pacing, it doesn’t detract from how delightfully refreshing it is that One of Them Days is supercharged by its commitment to letting its leads be messy, hilarious and fully in charge of the narrative. It’s a film that pays hearty homage to its predecessors, but benefits from its original and nuanced layering of resonant social commentary. Deftly addressing themes of gentrification and the cost of living crisis, while still allowing space for moments of vulnerability that hit with levity, the film compellingly frames the escalating absurdity as the chaos of struggling to make ends meet. With a stellar soundtrack (including an especially well-placed Sexyy Red needle drop), perfectly cast ensemble and cameo gems from Abbott Elementary’s Janelle James, Lil Rel and Katt Williams, the film strikes a laudable comedic note. However, it’s the brilliantly well-matched dream-team duo of Keke Palmer and SZA that truly anchors it all, elevating it to potential new classic status.
Words by Miatta Mbriwa
Support the Indiependent
We’re trying to raise £200 a month to help cover our operational costs. This includes our ‘Writer of the Month’ awards, where we recognise the amazing work produced by our contributor team. If you’ve enjoyed reading our site, we’d really appreciate it if you could donate to The Indiependent. Whether you can give £1 or £10, you’d be making a huge difference to our small team.