The joyous comedy “One of Them Days” is one of those flicks that traces a madcap day in the lives of its protagonists, the broke but bubbly best friends Dreux (Keke Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA). It’s the first of the month, meaning rent is due for the ramshackle apartment they share in Los Angeles. If only Alyssa hadn’t entrusted the money to her freeloading boyfriend, Keshawn (Joshua David Neal).
Borrowing from slacker and stoner comedies, “One of Them Days” becomes a ticking-clock quest for cash, complete with periodic freeze frames announcing how many hours remain before the women’s eviction. But the movie’s big achievement lies in how rarely it lapses into gross-out or injury-inflicting gags. (Shockingly for a comedy of this type, drugs hardly appear.) An early pratfall involving a faulty dishwasher proves a red herring; the director Lawrence Lamont and the screenwriter Syreeta Singleton find their best humor on the character level, in clever dialogue and sharp line deliveries from the entire ensemble.
Genuine emotion attends the humor. As sidekicks, Dreux and Alyssa share a value system, vocabulary and hearty appreciation for fun. More deeply, their bond is bolstered by an unwavering belief in one another’s talents and worth. Lamont and Singleton effortlessly mix the silly with the sincere, and although “One of Them Days” favors razzing over heart-to-hearts, our belief in this pairing never wavers. For that, hats off to SZA and especially Palmer, who lights up the screen with starry zeal.
One of Them Days
Rated R for language and sex-positive humor. Running time: 1 hours 37 minutes. In theaters.
