by Tim Gordon
In the grand tradition of buddy comedies built around “one bad day,” One of Them Days delivers just that: a madcap, sun-drenched scramble through South Los Angeles, where chaos and charm go hand in hand.
Directed by Lawrence Lamont and written by Syreeta Singleton, the film rides the highs and lows of friendship, rent stress, and very questionable life decisions. With a breakout film debut from SZA and another star turn by Keke Palmer, it’s a modest but entertaining slice of misadventure with just enough bite.
Set in Baldwin Village, One of Them Days kicks off with a very relatable crisis: rent is due, and the money is gone. When waitress Dreux Jones (Palmer) and aspiring artist Alyssa (SZA) realize that Alyssa’s sketchy boyfriend Keshawn has dipped with their $1,500, they’re given a 12-hour deadline to come up with the cash or face eviction. What follows is a whirlwind of hustles, misfires, petty drama, and unexpected alliances as the pair navigate payday loan rejection, botched blood donations, and back-alley entrepreneurship, all while trying to keep their dignity (and sanity) intact.
The film leans into a tone reminiscent of 90s cult comedies like Friday and Set It Off, with a distinctly feminine and Gen Z twist. There’s a looseness to the story that’s both its strength and its weakness: some plot points feel more like extended sketches than narrative necessities, but the chemistry between the leads smooths over the rough patches.
Keke Palmer continues to shine as one of Hollywood’s most versatile comedic performers. As Dreux, she balances sarcastic exasperation with warmth and loyalty. Her timing is razor-sharp, and even when the material stretches credibility (and it does), Palmer grounds the film in emotional reality.
SZA, making her film debut, brings a messy, lovable energy to Alyssa, the kind of friend who always means well but seems cursed to make the wrong call at the worst moment. She’s not polished, but she’s compelling. There’s a rawness to her performance that works, especially in contrast to Palmer’s steady anchor. You believe these two have been friends for decades, which is crucial for a film where the plot often takes a backseat to vibe.
The supporting cast adds flavor, even if the characters are mostly drawn in broad strokes. Berniece, the side chick scorned, gets a few standout moments, and Maniac, Dreux’s flirtation and possible Plan B, brings a chaotic charm. The script is more focused on set-pieces than plot arcs, whether it’s a disastrous blood donation, a fast-food showdown, or a rooftop confrontation, but it keeps moving with a momentum that’s infectious if not always coherent.
What elevates One of Them Days is its sense of place and perspective. Shot on location, the film celebrates the textures of Black Los Angeles without turning its environment into a stereotype. There’s a lived-in authenticity to the way the neighborhood is portrayed, not just as a backdrop, but as a character in the story. It’s no accident that this comes from Issa Rae’s production banner, which continues to spotlight voices and stories that feel fresh and familiar all at once.
The humor may not always land, and some sequences feel overly long or underwritten, but there’s a clear love for the genre and its traditions. It’s not aiming to reinvent the buddy comedy; it’s having fun inside it. And in a cinematic landscape often starved for films led by Black women just existing, loving, fighting, and surviving? That alone makes it worth the ride.
One of Them Days doesn’t always hit its mark, but the Keke Palmer–SZA dynamic is the kind of pairing that could, and should, power a whole franchise. With a sequel already in early development, there’s a good chance this duo will return for another wildly imperfect day, and based on this outing, we’ll be glad to see them again.
Grade: C+
