Everyone has had one of those days where everything goes wrong but somehow at the end of the day things turn out well. One of Them Days is your cinematic soulmate. This masterpiece was directed by Lawrence Lamont in his feature debut, pairs the electric Keke Palmer with SZA for an interesting ride through Los Angeles that’s as chaotic as it is charming, released on January 17, 2025, by Sony Pictures.
The beginning alone was chaotic, interesting and hilarious. Palmer’s character as Dreux and SZA’s character as Alyssa are best friends and roommates with a landlord that doesn’t understand the meaning of a chill pill. Their rent was due by the first of the month and when Uche the landlord came for rent they found out that Alyssa’s dead beat of a boyfriend, Keshawn had invested the money in his T-shirt line and fled. With eviction looming by 6PM, the duo embarks on a day long odyssey to rustle up $1,500. What follows is a series of hilarious misadventure, hurtful but truthful words were spewed, feelings were caught and Alyssa finally got free of her love blindness for Keshawn and kicked him to the curb, plus a breakthrough in both girls careers.
What’s Good
Looking at the good side of the movie, the performance was good, Alyssa and Dreux complimented each other. Opposite poles attracts and this theory works with both characters, where Dreux is always planning, Alyssa is laid back.
Psychologically, the role of Dreux and Alyssa in each other’s lives was very good. They brought out the best in each other and they had each other’s back. For instance, the time Alyssa went to pick up Dreux from the diner and she was having cold feet about her interview Alyssa gave her a good confidence boost. On the other hand, Dreux always complimented Alyssa’s paintings and she believed that the paintings had potential.
The thematic weight of the movie borders on friendship as a lifeline, resilience in the face of economic precarity, community and identity and finding joy in chaos. The friendship between Alyssa and Dreux, the rustle among the inhabitants of LA, the kindness of the community when they came together for the art show, it was a joint work between the close neighbors to set it up and it was the love and support from others in the community that made them turn up. As far as finding joy in chaos goes, Alyssa and Dreux always found joy in their predicament.
What’s Not-So-Good
Not everything works, though. Alyssa doesn’t worry about the rent money until it’s almost too late, and that gets annoying. She trusts Keshawn twice, which feels dumb, and she doesn’t really say sorry. The blood bank scene is too much—it’s loud and messy in a silly way. The story moves fast, but sometimes it’s too busy with extra stuff, like Dreux’s job interview. The big fight near the end? It’s boring and feels fake. The side characters, like Lil Rel Howery and Aziza Scott, are fun but don’t get much to do. And the ending is too perfect. They fix everything too easily, which doesn’t match the tough vibe from before.
It could’ve been better with less extra drama and a simpler ending. Maybe Alyssa could’ve learned something too. But it’s still fun.
One of Them Days is a throwback of hood comedies remixed with a fresh, female-driven spin. It’s loud, mess and it’s a damn good time. A reminder that even on the worst days, laughter and a loyal friend can turn it all around.
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