Pop Commentary

“One of Them Days” is one of the best buddy comedies I’ve seen in a long time. I laughed out loud from start to finish, which was a nice change of pace from the dramas and horror movies that seem to be dominating the theaters lately.

The film stars SZA in her acting debut. The Grammy-winning singer stars as Alyssa alongside millennial icon Keke Palmer who plays her best friend and roommate, Dreux. The hilarious antics begin when they discover Alyssa’s shady boyfriend has blown their rent money. The duo then sets off on a race against the clock to avoid eviction and to keep their friendship intact.

The film was produced by Issa Rae, the creator and star of “Insecure.” Like that show, “One of Them Days” shows a different side of Los Angeles than isn’t usually depicted on screen. We usually see the glitz and glamour of Hollywood, but these two projects show the beauty of the everyday life of L.A. residents who are working hard to get by.

The movie was directed by Lawrence Lamont and it was his first feature film, which I wouldn’t have guessed. He previously directed several rap music videos and episodes of “Rap Sh!t.”

When it comes to acting, the performances weren’t exactly Oscar-worthy, but they didn’t need to be because the comedic beats and chemistry between SZA and Keke were so great.

SZA seemed really natural on screen, especially considering it’s her first official role. I could see her appearing in more films in the future and improving as she goes. She actually hinted recently that she may step back from music a bit. In a tweet, she said, “To fulfill my last 2 album requirements I think I just wanna make peaceful children’s music n get outta here.” 

As for Keke’s performance, she was really funny and I’d argue she’s the heart of the film as a hard-working waitress trying to land a better job. However, there were a couple instances where it seemed like Keke broke character a little bit and said things in a way that she would say them in real life, not necessarily how I think Dreux would say them.

There were also a lot of good side characters portrayed by Maude Apatow, Lil Rel Howery, Janelle James, Keyla Monterroso Mejia and Katt Williams to name a few. I think the constant stream of funny new characters helped the film flow nicely with very few stagnant points.

Overall, I really enjoyed the film. The line delivery was a little clunky, but it more than made up for it with the outrageous humor and the story was surprisingly heartwarming. “One of Them Days” is definitely worth a watch and I would suggest it to anyone looking for a good hour and half of laughs.

Who knows, maybe this film will turn into a franchise. I’m thinking, “One of Them Weeks” or “One of Them Years.” Here’s hoping!