Charming leads elevate business-as-usual buddy comedy One Of Them Days
Keke Palmer and SZA play besties who frantically race around L.A. to secure their swindled rent money—or else face certain eviction.
Photo: Sony
It’s easy to fall for the charms on display in One Of Them Days, the comedy from two first-time feature filmmakers: director Lawrence Lamont and screenwriter Syreeta Singleton. This is more than likely owed to the fact that both rising talents have worked extensively with Issa Rae, one of the film’s producers, on Insecure and Rap Shit!, which One Of Them Days emulates in tone and style. The result is an amusing and engaging romp around Los Angeles, a city in desperate need of some love and levity, even if some of the comedic beats can be flatly formulaic.
Dreux (Keke Palmer, charismatic as always) has been working as a waitress at a local greasy spoon for what feels like forever, with little to show for it apart from a roster of regulars and learned quick-fixes for faulty kitchen appliances. When an opportunity arises for her to move up the corporate ladder of the Denny’s-esque franchise, she eagerly fantasizes about the padded paycheck, which would help her and her struggling artist bestie Alyssa (SZA in a surprisingly solid acting debut) make some much-needed changes to their rundown apartment and dismal financial situation. Of course, the day of Dreux’s promising interview falls on the first of the month, and their West African landlord Uche (Rizi Timane) shows up bright and early to collect his pound of flesh.