Film Review - One of Them Days
Images courtesy of Sony Pictures.
In terms of buddy comedy films that centre women protagonists and provide nuance in the jokes, One of Them Days doesn’t seem to miss.
One of Them Days, directed by Lawrence Lamont and starring Keke Palmer as Dreux and SZA as Alyssa, follows the two leads as their friendship is tested when their rent money gets blown by Alyssa’s boyfriend.
Among the film’s greatest assets was the chemistry between both SZA and Keke Palmer’s characters.
Upon first introductions, there is a clear friendship dynamic established between Dreux and Alyssa. Dreux has big ambitions, and she’s put together in the sense that she’s working her way to the top of the corporate ladder, but she’s down on her luck. Alyssa is more carefree, seemingly unbound by any form of planning and appears to have a touch of time blindness that adds to the lovable clumsiness to her character. They couldn’t be more different, yet more similar, and that’s kind of the point.
This film has a couple of different lenses it can be viewed through, depending on how deep you want to examine each element.
The film at its core explores female friendships and the unwavering support those connections can bring to the most challenging times. While there are many opportunities throughout the film for the two to come at odds with one another or for tension to come to a head, the two are able to stay relatively level headed amid a constant barrage of unbelievably bad luck.
One of Them Days is imbued with innumerable references to culture that add depth to the characters and the storyline without taking away from the lighthearted and gimmicky humour that made the film work.
The film, while primarily drawing on the experience of living paycheck to paycheck, explored and made connections to other sociocultural factors that influence the reasons people end up in strife. Concepts of unemployment, lack of appreciation for artistic careers, drugs, debt and nefarious groups all added colour to the experiences of each of the characters in the film.
Another key aspect of One of Them Days that sets it apart, is the fact that the main antagonists in the show aren’t villainous, so much as trying to vindicate themselves or their own experiences, which ultimately adds roadblocks to Dreux and Alyssa’s already challenging day. Whether it is the not wholly-informed revenge sought by Alyssa’s ex-boyfriend's new fling, the sketchy eviction, or the violence from a gang member, each antagonist finds ways to sweep any sliver of success away from Dreux and Alyssa right up until the very end.
The production for this film was well-suited to the storyline with a complimentary soundtrack that elevated scenes and conflict throughout the film. There is dramatic text overlaid on still shots counting down to the seemingly inevitable bad ending, cringey effects for exaggerated drama, and different styles of camera shots including shaky handheld camerawork that all work to create the comical reading of the film and storyline.
For a film that adopted and adapted so many cliché tropes and stereotypes from drama and comedy, One of Them Days felt original and immersive with the cinema audience in the screening audibly gasping, laughing and rooting for the characters.
If you’re looking for a bit of lighthearted fun, One of Them Days is one release you won’t want to miss!
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One of Them Days is screening in select cinemas now. For tickets and more info, click here.