The Island Cinephile

One of them Days: A cheeky comedy

“I’m so high, I’m in the sky. I’m so blessed, I’m not stressed.”

Dreux

One of Them Days follows the dilemma of a girl duo named Dreux (Keke Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA), two buddies living in the heart of the L.A. ghetto. Dreux is a character with loads of ambition and eyes on achieving something better for herself. Being the complete opposite, Alyssa – and her boyfriend by extension – is the artsy, unemployed friend who is kept afloat through Dreux’s efforts. A fiasco ensues after Alyssa’s sketchy boyfriend runs off with their rent money leaving them with the threat of eviction and potentially facing homelessness.  

The film, though bogged down with negative stereotypes and crass behavior, seemed to be what the director – Lawrence Lamont – was going for. It fits within the theme and the absurdity of the whole plot, so nothing was amiss. The color grading was vibrant, but maybe a bit too saturated as we could see harsh make-up lines. The movie also seemed to be a nod to the film Friday with similar elements interwoven in the plot, essentially tying old-age with new-age filmmaking. Most of the jokes were well-sustained throughout the film, and the pace moved along fine. Both Palmer and SZA put on a great performance, and their chemistry worked well on-screen. There were not many prominent issues besides my gripe with Alyssa as a character and my dislike for a few of the crude comments in the film. 

Overall, though the movie may not be one considered Oscar worthy, it is woefully entertaining. Every movie does not have to be a masterpiece, since it is enjoyable and spins an interesting story, it proved to work well-enough. 

Watch Trailer for One of Them Days.