Summary
A sharp, fast-paced comedy with a keen eye for everyday struggles, this film thrives on Keke Palmer and SZA’s effortless chemistry, delivering both broad laughs and social commentary.
ONE OF THEM DAYS might be the feature debut of both director Lawrence Lamont and writer Syreeta Singleton, but it comes with one hell of a heritage. Their work on television’s Rap Sh!t and Insecure with Issa Rae has directly led here, and the latter serves as co-producer on a comedy that’s both grounded and intentionally absurdist.
From the opening shots, with the radio blaring news of another scorching day in California, Lamont and Singleton firmly establish their setting of South Los Angeles. Hard-working waitress Dreux (Keke Palmer), who lives with her friend Alyssa (SZA) in a rundown apartment block, gets a shot at a higher-paying gig—but the world seems to be conspiring against her.
Alyssa’s boyfriend Keshawn (Joshua Neal) blows their rent money, and their strict landlord threatens eviction if they don’t pay up by 6 p.m. So begins a ticking clock of maladies and mishaps as their fortunes rise and fall on the streets of LA.
As the first major theatrical R-rated Black female-led comedy in the better part of a decade, ONE OF THEM DAYS plays straight to a knowing core audience. The comedy can be broad in places—like the opening gag of one of Dreux’s coworkers being flung across the room by a malfunctioning dishwasher—while also delivering razor-sharp, instantly meme-worthy lines (“You look real alopecious today”).
While speaking specifically to the Black experience in LA, there’s a universality to the humour for anyone struggling to make it to the next level in the face of a cost-of-living crisis. A visit to a payday loan office with its 1,900.5% interest rates, donating blood for rent money and pie, or the ease with which the sole white girl Bethany (Maude Apatow) navigates life in the same apartment complex—all ring painfully true.
If there are occasional misses in the comedy, the consistent home run is the on-screen chemistry of Palmer and SZA. It’s hard to believe SZA is making her acting debut here—her natural back-and-forth with Palmer makes it feel like they’ve been a double act for years. Here’s hoping for future collaborations.
ONE OF THEM DAYS works both as a hangout buddy comedy and a slice-of-life portrait of LA, showcasing both its stars and the incredibly talented people behind the camera. Not every moment lands, but the hit rate is high enough to keep you chuckling for the duration—and maybe even going back for seconds.
2025 | USA | DIRECTOR: Lawrence Lamont | WRITERS: Syreeta Singleton | CAST: Keke Palmer, SZA, Katt Williams, Maude Apatow | DISTRIBUTOR: Sony Pictures Releasing | RUNNING TIME: 97 minutes | RELEASE DATE: 6 March 2025 (Australia), 17 January 2025 (USA)
