Review: ‘One Of Them Days’

Keke Palmer And SZA Deliver "Craig and Smokey" Vibes In Brassy Feel-Good Buddy Comedy

Is there anyone out there who doesn’t love Friday, the 1995 “one day in the ‘hood” comedy that made Ice Cube and Chris Tucker pot-smokin’ legends? Hell no, and everybody says they want comedies to be as good as Friday. Heck, even the Friday sequels couldn’t measure up. Not to say that One of Them Days is on that level, either, but Keke Palmer and SZA are the closest thing to Craig and Smokey that we’ve seen in a long time. As hard-scrabble buddies just looking to pay the rent and not get killed, they light up this brassy, feel-good buddy comedy that will surely be a crowd-pleaser.

The ultra-talented Keke Palmer plays the responsible one, Dreux, a hard-working waitress at a Dennys-esque franchise restaurant. She lives in their rundown, overpriced apartment complex with her best friend Alyssa, played by superstar singer SZA in her feature debut. Alyssa is the irresponsible one; an artist who doesn’t actually sell anything and gets by doing as little every day as possible. The two are a classic Odd Couple pairing. Dreux is on the come-up. After years of toiling away, she’s finally got an interview for a Franchise Manager position, but first she needs to get some rest and make sure the rent gets paid. Their strict landlord Uche (Rizi Timane) is kicking out anyone who doesn’t pay on time, and the air of gentrification is everywhere. There’s even a white girl (Maude Apatow) moving in and that never happens. Unfortunately, Dreux made the critical error of entrusting the rent money to Alyssa, who in turn entrusts it with her shady, homeless but well-endowed boyfriend Keshawn (Joshua David Neal) who immediately blows it on a laughable get-rich-quick scheme.

And so you have a classic “get the money by this time” comedy set up, with a countdown clock booming in to divide up each comedic setpiece, which makes One of Them Days feel like a series of vignettes. Dreux and Alyssa pinball from one wacky scenario to the next in order to get paid, and some work better than others. They become the target of a local big-booty bully, Berniece (Aziza Scott), who Keyshawn has latched himself to, and she becomes the Deebo-like threat who everyone, man and woman alike, is afraid of. Katt Williams is hilarious, and surprisingly tuned-down as Lucky, a homeless street prophet who pops up to dispense dire warnings of the ‘hood’s many entrapments. He tries to drive the girls away from one of those disastrous Payday Loan vendors with their thousand-percent interest rates and brutal enforcement methods. Williams is one of a few colorful cameos that help flesh out this delightfully weird and high-energy corner of Los Angeles that Dreux and Alyssa occupy. There’s also Abbott Elementary‘s Janelle James as an ex-stripper now doing really shoddy work at the blood bank. Scene-stealer Dewayne Perkins brings a welcome dose of fabulousness as the gossipy hairdresser Jameel, and Lil Rel Howery is funny as a con man whose sob story scores him a deal on a pair of vintage Air Jordans. If there’s a an actual love interest it’s from Patrick Cage as Maniac, a heartthrob and former delinquent that Dreux has heard is now some kind of deranged killer. She has eyes for him, anyway, in part because of the whole “bad boy” thing but also because he always seems to be there when she needs him, and, well, reliable men aren’t exactly easy to find.

Palmer and SZA have a breezy, easy chemistry that powers One of Them Days through its many highs and lows. There’s something about Palmer in that she’s always someone we want to see come out on top, and Dreux is a character we can easily cheer on. And SZA in her first major acting role impresses in her ability to make Alyssa so much more than an archetype. Not to say the script is incredibly deep or anything, but there’s a richness to the neighborhood and the people in it. Yes, it’s nutty, but there’s something real in how everyone is just trying to keep their heads above water, and how it always seems like the world is fighting against them. We can buy that Dreux is both incredibly responsible and someone with a laughably low credit score. We can buy that Alyssa is both extremely loyal to her best friend, and also a monumental screwup. Director Lawrence Lamont brings his music video experience to keep the energy high and the jokes flying. They don’t really make urban comedies like One of Them Days for the big screen anymore, and for that reason it feels kind of special to have it. With its emphasis on female friendship, memorable characters, and imminently quotable one-liners, One of Them Days is a blast of positive vibes and a fun ride that is sure to become the favorite hangout comedy to many of those who see it.

Sony Pictures opens One of Them Days in theaters on January 17th.