‘One of Them Days’ Review: Keke Palmer and SZA on a Mad Dash for Cash

The happy comedy “One of Them Days” is one of those movies that traces a crazy day in the life of its protagonists, broken but bubbly best friends Dreux (Keke Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA). It’s the first of the month, which means rent is due on the ramshackle apartment they share in Los Angeles. If only Alyssa hadn’t entrusted the money to her free boyfriend, Keshawn (Joshua David Neal).

Borrowing from slacker and stoner comedies, “One of Them Days” becomes a ticking quest for cash, complete with periodic freeze frames announcing how many hours remain before the women’s eviction. But the film’s great achievement lies in how rarely it lapses into crude or damaging gags. (Shockingly for a comedy of this type, drugs barely appear.) An early banter involving a faulty dishwasher proves a red herring; director Lawrence Lamont and screenwriter Syreeta Singleton find their best humor at character level, in clever dialogue and sharp line deliveries from the entire ensemble.

Genuine emotion follows the humor. As sidekicks, Dreux and Alyssa share a value system, a vocabulary and a great appreciation for fun. Deeper, their bond is strengthened by an unwavering belief in each other’s talents and worth. Lamont and Singleton effortlessly mix the silly with the sincere, and even though “One of Them Days” prefers to rage over heart-to-heart, our faith in this couple never wavers. For that, hats off to SZA and especially Palmer, who lights up the screen with starry eyedness.

One of these days
Rated R for language and sex-positive humor. Running time: 1 hour 37 minutes. In theaters.