One of Them Days Review: Keke Palmer and SZA Can’t Save Unfunny Comedy

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In “One of Them Days,” Keke Palmer and SZA star as friends Dreux and Alyssa who find themselves in a desperate situation: they must scramble to come up with the rent money before they’re evicted within just a few hours. Unfortunately, what could have been an entertaining retro-style buddy comedy falls flat, delivering a rather mediocre viewing experience.

This movie transports us back to an era of storytelling we seldom encounter now – a tale revolving around two individuals scrambling to gather funds within a single day. While it shares some resemblance with the 1995 film Friday starring Ice Cube and Chris Tucker, One of Them Days unfortunately doesn’t live up to its predecessor. The movie’s strongest point lies in the convincing camaraderie between Palmer and SZA, leaving no room for doubt about their acting abilities. Notably, this is SZA’s first foray into acting, and she proves herself to be a natural talent on screen. Despite her character having limited dramatic moments, she skillfully navigates the comedic elements.

For many years, Palmer has graced both movies and television with her captivating presence. In this role, she portrays a waitress yearning for professional growth. When Alyssa’s partner swipes their rent money, they embark on an exhilarating quest to amass as much cash as possible. This film hinges on its hilarious comedic sequences for success. Regrettably, not all elements of the plot are effectively executed. Some concepts come close but fail to fully materialize, such as Maude Apatow’s portrayal of a blindingly white girl moving into a predominantly African American apartment building. The potential for humor was vast in this scenario, yet it falls short of its full comedic potential.

Initially, the storyline presents them attempting to secure a loan, where Katt Williams portrays a man cautioning them against this move. The loan encounter turns sour when the character played by Keyla Monterroso Mejia openly scoffs at Dreux’s credit score. This scene is filled with comedic elements, but it doesn’t quite hit the mark because it appears that all characters are consciously acting for a comedy, and their actions lack authenticity. Essentially, everyone is overacting in a way they believe will generate the most laughter from the audience, but it feels contrived rather than genuine.

Acting in a comedy film might be tougher than acting in a drama as striking the right balance between enthusiasm and humor without ruining the suspension of disbelief is quite tricky. While some direction from Lawrence Lamont can aid, the script by Syreeta Singleton lacks clever wit. While simple humor can be amusing, One of Them Days overuses a scene in a blood bank where blood spills abundantly. Instead of being outlandishly funny, it’s more likely to shock the audience.

The show occasionally uses slapstick and features physical comedy from Palmer, although the humor isn’t particularly innovative or original. There are moments like Alyssa getting shocked off a power line and landing on Dreux that are broad in their humor, yet they aren’t desperate attempts at laughter. Instead, there’s a genuine intent behind them, and despite the characters’ questionable decisions, you can’t help but find a small appeal in them. SZA portrays a character who often makes poor choices, but her actions don’t elicit dislike from viewers.

Regarding the plotline and its conflicts, it can be a bit haphazard at times. Initially, the risks involved seem significant, but as the movie progresses, the stakes escalate dramatically for the climax, turning eviction threats into life-and-death situations. This sudden shift feels unexpected and disjointed, yet it’s crucial to create a more exhilarating conclusion. Unfortunately, the emotional depth in this narrative falls short, and Dreux and Alyssa’s romance follows an expected trajectory. In summary, One of Them Days doesn’t deliver as many laugh-out-loud moments as anticipated. While the audience did chuckle throughout the movie, I felt that it could have been more impactful overall.

In the movie “One of Them Days,” Palmer and SZA deliver convincing performances as buddies navigating an absurd situation. However, despite their likable portrayals, the film fell short in providing enough laugh-out-loud moments for me to want to rewatch it. It didn’t leave me feeling disappointed like some other unfunny comedies (like Y2K), but it seemed as though it was trying to recreate the humor of ’90s comedy classics without quite getting there. Ultimately, whether you find “One of Them Days” funny will depend on your personal sense of humor. Some might find this movie side-splittingly funny, but I felt it could have been funnier by knowing when to amp up the humor and when to tone it down a bit.

SCORE: 4/10

According to ComingSoon’s review guidelines, a rating of 4 is equivalent to “Poor.” This means that the negative elements overshadow the good ones, resulting in a difficult experience while reviewing or using it.

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2025-01-16 01:40