One of the bittersweet indications of adulthood is when you begin paying for rent…
Now Imagine that all of the money you’ve worked all month to save up for suddenly gets lost on rent day and your landlord gives you until the end of the day to get that money or else he’ll evict you and throw you on the street. If hearing that made you imagine all of the possible ways of earning a month’s pay of rent in a single day think no further because I’m sure every idea you thought of and then some is within one of the funniest films to kick off 2025, One of Them Days.
One Of Them Days is the feature film directorial debut from director Lawrence Lamont, most known for directing music videos before this film. The film follows characters Dreux (Keke Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA) two roommates who struggle to make ends meet financially that happen to lose all of their rent money on the day its due, resulting in them facing the certainty of eviction if they don’t pay it by days end.
What this film does very well is establish a sense of urgency. A ticking time bomb that moves the narrative along, creating tension for the characters within it. It’s a simple but effective tactic. I enjoyed spending time with these characters on their ridiculous and wild search for rent money knowing their deadline was abruptly approaching.
I’ll be the first to admit that I went into this movie not expecting much but I’ll also happily report that I left the film on such a comedic high. One Of Them Days was such a pleasant surprise. Keke Palmer and SZA have so much chemistry and comedic charm and almost every scene resulted in a genuine laugh. When a movie can get that kind of response out of me, I know it’s doing something right.
As a big fan of Keke Palmer’s former works, projects like Nope and Hustlers as well as films from her child acting days like Akeelah & The Bee and Jump In, there was never a doubt of her acting talents. On the other hand, I wasn’t sure about the choice to cast SZA in a lead role. Before watching this film I’d never seen her act. I knew she was talented, musically she’s one of the best artists we have working today, but I wasn’t sold that her talents could transcend different mediums. To my surprise SZA feels like a natural in this film. Following these characters through all of their different attempts to earn their rent money was really funny to me because I’m know someone who pays my own rent, so in a way I felt a strong relatability to the film, even with all of its goofiness.
The on-screen chemistry between Palmer’s character and SZA’s convinces you to truly buy into the idea that these two characters are best friends, chosen family, and two people who would do anything for each other. This dynamic allows you to emotionally invest in the story, and care about the central characters within it. I found myself caring about them getting their money back. You care about these characters crawling out of this financial hole, you want to see them succeed. In a lot of ways One of Them Days is a true underdog story about how the weight of the world isn’t set up for all people to succeed, no less two black women in America, which is an unfortunate truth.
The film doesn’t outright speak on these themes in an obvious way but One of Them Days is a film that lightly tackles ideas of being black in America, being a woman in America, financial burdens, gentrification, and the struggles of securing a job post-graduation. These are things that a lot of people can relate to, me included. This movie is one that will make you laugh at its silliness but also one that you’ll be able to relate to and place yourself in. That duality, that balance, is what made this film stand out to me.
Final Thoughts
One Of Them Days is a good time at the movie theater. Everyone can relate to having to pay rent, so this is a film that a lot of people will be able to connect with. With two hilarious central performances filled with charisma and charm, Keke Palmer and SZA take you on a true comical journey of two broke girls just trying to get by and it’s just so fun watching the journey of them overcoming their way out of this financial hole. One Of Them Days is a lot of fun. It’s simple, it’s entertaining, and it’s pretty funny. Go to theaters, watch it, and get some laughs.