Film Review — One of Them Days

Keke Palmer and SZA are friends and flatmates desperate to avoid eviction in Lawrence Lamont’s enjoyable farcical comedy

Credit: Sony

One of Them Days is a title designed to annoy grammar pedants like yours truly, but it’s also an agreeably entertaining comedy confection. Energetically directed by Lawrence Lamont, from a screenplay by Syreeta Singleton, it centres around LA-based best pals and flatmates Dreux Jones (Keke Palmer) and Alyssa (singer SZA making her screen debut). The film follows the pair on a hot, frenetic day as they attempt to dredge up overdue rent money before their dodgy landlord kicks them out.

Dreux is the more responsible of the pair, given her sterling work ethic and determination to better herself. She aspires to manage a restaurant rather than wait tables and has an interview that day that could make her dream reality. Unfortunately, Alyssa, a free-spirited aspiring artist who believes “the universe” is guiding her, is prone to weapons-grade stupidity, such as entrusting the rent money to her ne’er-do-well boyfriend, Keyshawn (Joshua Neal). He’s inserted himself into Alyssa’s rundown flat as well as her bed, with his request to stay six days turning into six months, much to Dreux’s irritation. She’s even more irritated when she learns Keyshawn has “invested” their rent…