Issa Rae’s work behind the camera in television via her Moorae Media brand is nothing short of amazing. Her woman-centric shows, most famously HBO’s Insecure and A Black Woman Sketch Show, garnered critical acclaim while striking a cord culturally that crossed gender and generational boundaries. Expanding that reach beyond the cable cord, Rae takes her first foray into producing that same magic for the silver screen with One of Them Days.
One of Them Days is a day-in-the-life comedy that follows roommates Dreaux (Keke Palmer) and Alyssa (singer SZA). After discovering their rent money was stolen, Dreaux and Alyssa must race to recover the funds while surviving constant community obstacles so they won’t get evicted. The premise for this type of comedy isn’t anything new because many comedies have taken and done well with variations of it. Sadly, One of Them Days isn’t among that group despite the immense promise of its leads.
The writing is where the problems with One of Them Days start, and it doesn’t appear how you would think. It’s fair to assume One of Them Days is a woman-led Friday retread because it borrows heavily from the 1995 classic. The LA backdrop, the odd couple pairing, the paper chase against time, and the hood bully trope are all straight from the Friday blueprint. However, writer Syreeta Singleton adds some grounded plot points to differentiate the film away from being a ripoff, so that isn’t the issue.
The script loses its way on the main thing it needs to get right – the jokes. They are neither funny nor original. Almost every punchline has been seen or done before. They feel derivative of reading a Shade Room post or relationship hypothetical on Twitter. It starkly contrasts Singleton’s previous work on the Rae-produced Rap Sh!t, where the comedy was organic despite likely coming from the above sources.
The director’s chair is another source of sabotage for One of Them Days. If the jokes felt forced, then their staging made matters worse. The film moves like a series of TikTok skits instead of the long-form media it’s supposed to be. This pacing issue carries over into the star-studded cameos littered through One of Them Days, as they do far more to disrupt the film’s rhythm than enhance it.
The lone saving grace for One of Them Days is the Palmer-SZA tandem. Their pairing is the lone saving grace for the film. They are believable and entertaining, with a surprising revelation late in the movie.
Palmer plays Dreaux with the same versatility she’s shown throughout her filmography. Her comedic background serves her well as she nails several self-deprecating gags but remains sharp and grounded enough to flex her dramatic chops when needed. SZA is better than one would in her feature film debut. Granted, Alyssa is somewhat on brand for how she presents on social media, but it’s the perfect compliment for Palmer. Ironically, a dramatic turn just before the third act shows what the pair could do if they had better support behind the camera.
There’s a need for a comedy that connects with the day-to-day struggles of the average person. Something that allows you to turn your brain off for 90 minutes and have a good time. Given the Hoorae track record and Palmer's and SZA's talents, One of Them Days had everything needed to fill that void. Sadly, the history and strong acting performances weren’t enough to overcome the underwhelming writing and direction that keep it from being the Friday today’s audiences crave.
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