It’s hard to argue with the energy that Keke Palmer brings to the screen or the music SZA has graced us with over the years, and now these two talents are coming together for the buddy comedy One of Them Days by producer Issa Rae. It will be the film debut for the four-time Grammy winner and Oscar nominee, while Palmer returns to the big screen in her first major starring role since she became a horror movie final girl in Nope. Critics had the opportunity to screen the film ahead of its release to the 2025 movie calendar, and they say the stars bring the fun.
Keke Palmer and SZA star as roommates Dreux and Alyssa, respectively, who are on a race against the clock after Alyssa’s boyfriend spent their rent money. In CinemaBlend’s review of One of Them Days, Sarah El-Mahmoud writes that they go on a hilariously relatable search to make some fast money and avoid eviction, all while bringing the fun best friend energy to the screen. She rates it 3.5 stars out of 5, saying:
At a time where it’s not common anymore to see a mid-budget comedy in theaters (let alone see these sorts of films get made in general), One Of Them Days takes things back to the good old days by delivering on a light-hearted, good mood of a movie, and it makes a valiantly good-natured and entertaining effort in the campaign to bring back the comedy genre to the big screen.
Alison Willmore of Vulture says the movie impressively balances its characters’ exhaustion with the goofiness of the situations they find themselves in. Keke Palmer also proves herself, again, as an under-rated talent. Willmore continues:
Honestly, watching One of Them Days, you start to wonder why Palmer isn’t one of the biggest stars in the world by now, though part of the problem is that she’s a creature of comedy, and studios barely make them anymore. Even when the writing and pacing falls slack in this one, as it definitely does on occasion, she wrings laughs out of scenes with screwball physicality and surprising line readings.
Lovia Gyarkye of THR agrees that Keke Palmer shines in One of Them Days, and newcomer SZA holds her own. More than anything, Gyarkye says, the ride-or-die duo inspire nostalgia for the female friendships Issa Rae’s projects have become known for. The critic continues:
One of Them Days, produced by Issa Rae, is the kind of big-laughs, mid-budget theatrical comedy that used to be more common; it’s a shame TriStar scheduled a January release, because the film had the potential to be a summer hit. Its two charismatic leads alone make it worth seeing in a theater, surrounded by a crowd primed for a good time. Palmer aces her performance as Dreux, a hardworking and pragmatic waitress gunning to become franchise manager of her diner. The actress’ winning charm and sharp comedic timing make this straight-edged character, who lives or dies by a plan, endearing.
Owen Gleiberman of Variety calls One of Them Days “a winning throwback to the kind of day-in-the-hood comedy they used to make in the ’90s,” in the same vein as Friday. The screenplay has a “screwball recklessness,” the critic writes, with Keke Palmer commanding the screen and SZA sizzling in her debut. Gleiberman continues:
The how-will-they-get-the-money? plot, punctuated by a countdown clock that periodically stops the action, catapults our heroines from one situation to the next, but the real subject of One of Them Days is simply the people they keep meeting. The movie is a likably bent portrait of a community whose residents revel in their energized dysfunction, which is never so cartoonish that it can’t inspire an honest laugh.
Adrian Horton of The Guardian gives the movie 3 out of 5 stars, calling the ride that the two best friends take as “bumpy but fun.” The lead actresses are the highlight of the movie — specifically, the critic notes, their “rat-a-tat banter.” The movie may go too far at times, but that shouldn’t deter audiences from a trip to the theater. Horton writes:
Palmer and SZA enjoyably ham up what could otherwise be try-hard, too gimmicky fare – a stint at a payday loan with a snarky lender (Keyla Monterroso Mejia), a fight with Keyshawn’s vengeful new girl (Aziza Scott). Some of the bits, such as a messy episode at a blood bank with an incompetent nurse (Abbott Elementary’s Janelle James) or a snafu with a gun-wielding neighborhood menace (Amin Joseph), go too far, or lean too cartoonish to land, a level 11 when level 10 would suffice. It’s a bumpy ride, albeit an overall enjoyable one, with a believably character-populated apartment community and unforced, consistent energy.
This movie sounds like one hell of a wild ride, which is really all I’d expect from Issa Rae, Keke Palmer and SZA. Critics overall seem to agree, as the movie holds an impressive 95% Rotten Tomatoes score from 38 critics as of this writing. If you want to go on this adventure, whose objective is the all-too-familiar chore of paying rent, One of Them Days hits the big screen on Friday, January 17.
