Before I saw “One of Them Days,” I never imagined how much better the world could be if Keke Palmer and SZA starred in a movie together. The  tribute to the 1995 hit film “Friday” does an excellent job of imitating the same comedy while also being unique.

“One of  Them Days” was director Lawrence Lamont’s debut movie and he perfectly blended comedy and chemistry. When you can curate a cast with Palmer, SZA, Maude Apatow, Katt Williams, Lil Rel Howery and Jannel James, the movie is essentially guaranteed to be funny. I had unbelievably high standards set for this movie and it definitely lived up to them.

The story starts in the historic neighborhood of south-central Los Angeles. At the end of every month, Alyssa, played by SZA and Dreux played by Palmer typically give their  rent money of $1500 to Alyssa’s boyfriend Keshawn, played by Joshua David Neal. However, this time he decides to use it to start his own Great Value-esque Gucci brand, “Cucci.” When they get an eviction notice, Alyssa and Dreux are sent hustling around LA to pay the rent that they owe before they get evicted. From trying to sell expensive shoes to attempting to donate blood instead of trying to outsmart the loan sharks around every corner, the duo thought of nearly every ridiculous way to get their money back.

“One of Them Days” beautifully articulates the life of two Black women trying to get by in south LA. It’s relatable for other students of color, like me, who are attending a predominantly white institution and are just trying to get by. 

I love “One of them Days” because it combines nostalgia with other African-American-directed movies that took place in LA’s largely Black neighborhoods – such as “Friday.” ‘Friday” is a classic ‘90s staple that features Ice Cube and Chris Tucker as they try to make money in LA to pay off their debt. Both of these movies are well-received by Black Hollywood because they combine comedy and reality while featuring prominent music artists, like SZA & Ice Cube, with A-list actors like Chris Tucker & Palmer.  I also love that this film was a homage to ‘Friday,” because a lot of films made popular by Black Hollywood were often seen as stand-alone movies and were never given sequels or any other outside recognition. A lot of classic movies meaningful to the Black community from the ‘90s and 2000s such as “ATL” or “Boyz n the Hood” were very popular in the public eye, but never received any spin-off ideas.  

Screenwriter Syreeta Singleton was the perfect writer for Palmer and SZA. She was able to make the movie feel authentic, instead of premeditated. Comedians Katt Williams and Lil Rel Howery were wonderfully blended into the film. They deliver funny and well-timed remarks while not completely taking away from the main characters of the movie. They give great comedic relief throughout the story and are a realistic depiction of the people who often reside in affluent Black neighborhoods across the nation. Living in Atlanta, I meet people throughout the city every day who are similar to the characters in the movie. Alyssa and Dreux remind me of the self-acclaimed water boys that hustle around the city to make money. Katt Williams’ role as Lucky reminds me of Atlanta icon and Outkast artist André 3000, who I’ve often seen throughout the city playing music. The reason why I see these two as similar is because it seems like they’re both anywhere and everywhere all at once throughout their respective cities and neighborhoods. This movie did a good job of connecting with the audience and the city of LA.

Overall, SZA and Palmer offered an amazing performance and made the environment around them feel natural. It felt like I was back in my childhood, roaming around Atlanta with my family instead of watching a scripted movie in theatres. It may only be March, but I think “One of Them Days” is a strong contender for movie of the year.

Edited by Ava McCluer | amccluer@themaneater.com 

Copy edited by Amelia Schaefer and Natalie Kientzy | nkientzy@themaneater.com 

Edited by Annie Goodykoontz | agoodykoontz@themaneater.com