One of Them Days review: Keke Palmer, SZA are great match in fun comedic odyssey

There have been plenty of great comedic duos in movie history, from Abbott and Costello to Steve Martin and Martin Short. It’s too early to put Keke Palmer and SZA in that pantheon (it is their first movie together after all), but they are an undeniably terrific pairing in One of Them Days, the first comedy of the 2025 new movie slate that does what it sets out to do: telling a fun story of two best friends that will have you laughing throughout.

Written by Syreeta Singleton (the first screenplay for the Insecure and Rap Sh!t writer) and directed by Lawrence Lamont (another Rap Sh!t veteran making his feature directing debut), One of Them Days follows best friends and roommates Dreux (Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA) as they have to travel all over their Los Angeles neighborhood to get enough money to pay their rent after Alyssa’s oblivious boyfriend Keshawn (Joshua David Neal) wasted it on himself; if they don’t have it by the end of the day they’ll be evicted from their apartment. Along the way they have to deal with a range of colorful characters and dangerous gangsters.

While the Singleton’s script and Lamont’s directing are strong debuts, particularly with a number of smaller moments, One of Them Days is carried by Palmer and SZA, who nail their comedic bits but who are equally good when the time comes for a few emotional moments between the two. Any issues with the movie are small, as One of Them Days has the goods.

At this point, seeing a strong performer from Palmer is no surprise, as the two-time Emmy winner has built her star in the likes of Scream Queens, Berlin Station, Hustlers and, most notably, Nope. What was a nice surprise is how SZA, in her movie debut and just her second acting job ever (the other being a guest role on Insecure), is a great scene partner with Palmer. Beyond their comedic back and forth, the pair’s relationship is the emotional crux of the movie, and they capture that with ease.

However it's not just a two-women show, as there are a number of standout supporting performances. Most notably are that of Katt Williams, who plays a homeless man who pops up to offer timely, humorous advice to Dreux and Alyssa, and Aziza Scott as Bernice, someone who will stop at nothing when she’s felt like she’s been wronged, putting that energy toward Dreux and Alyssa over the course of the movie. Other notable supporting appearances include Lil Rel Howery, Maude Apatow, Janelle James and Keyla Monterrosso Mejia.

These strong performances definitely help sell the comedy, but a lot of it also comes from clever small moments in the script and executed by Lamont. While there are big bits of physical comedy that are sure to elicit laughs (the blood bank scene is a particular stand out), the stuff that I enjoyed the most were little things like how Dreux and Alyssa’s landlord changes when the new, white tenant Bethany (Apatow) moves in; nods to unfortunate financial realities, like creditors charging the hilariously figure of 1,900.5% interest; or that Dreux is conscious of how expensive an ambulance ride is. Comedies aren’t always obvious showcases for directors, but Lamont definitely infuses a few nice touches to put his own stamp on the proceedings as well.

The most notable “issue” with the movie is its management of time. A lot happens to Dreux and Alyssa over the course of a day, but despite them reminding us of their ticking clock and a graphic that pops up every now and then, there’s a lack of urgency in the tone and editing. Also, a couple of storylines — most notably Dreux’s pursuit of a promotion — wrap up a little too conveniently, but ultimately they arrive at satisfying conclusions.

I want to emphasize the quotation marks around “issue,” because really these are just small things that I noticed but others may have little to no problem with. That’s because One of Them Days delivers a constant stream of jokes (big and small) to keep you laughing and has a central relationship that you constantly root for. It's a strong start for 2025 comedies.

One of Them Days releases exclusively in US movie theaters on January 17.