I yanked open the door to the movie theatre, but little did I know it weighed an easy 500 pounds. The movie was set to start at 7:10 PM, and it was already 7:09 PM, so naturally, I was in a rush â such a rush that I did not realize I had never even opened the door and proceeded to move face-first into the glass.
It was “one of them days.”
Seeing this film, directed by Lawrence Lamont, was the first time I’d been to the movie theatre alone. I loved every moment of it.
The seats touching mine were occupied by a guy who snacked on mysterious crackers in an aluminum bag. He and his friend, granted, they were hooded guys wearing beanies in movie theatre lighting, looked like professional goons. I stopped people watching, but not before I saw five older people coming up the stairs. One old man in khakis and four beautiful senior women slowly climbed up and sat in the row below me. I know, I know, the cinema is for everyone! But I really did start to wonder if I was in the correct theatre.
Finally, the movie begins, and thankfully, it is One of Them Days, starring the iconic Keke Palmer and introducing four-time Grammy-winning artist SZA to the big screen.Â
From the first scene with both actresses, it felt like I was watching a conversation I’d had before. SZA’s relaxed yet quick-witted lines had me giggling the entire time. Oh, and don’t get me started on Ms. Palmer. Each time she’s on screen, she is the moment. As all other reviews of this film say, Palmer’s glowing performance deserves all the praise.
I went to this movie as a journalist, so I took a notebook and pen, ready to jot down any pressing thoughts during the movie. I found myself writing down Palmer’s skillful puns simply because they were that silly, with “Tumbleweave” being one of my favorites.
The plot unfolds as two best friends, Alyssa (SZA) and Dreux (Palmer), race to keep their apartment and avoid eviction. Alyssa is a talented artist with an awful boyfriend and, as awful boyfriends do, he spends the girls’ rent money. Now, they’re left with a mere eight hours to pick up the pieces. After a series of incredibly unfortunate events, (spoiler alert!) they manage to save the day and themselvesâbut not without some classic yet nuanced escapades, thanks to the awful boyfriend.
One of Them Days, the first mainstream Black women duo comedy since the 1997 film B.A.P.S., lived up to the hype. Not to mention the soundtrack included hits from artists like Doechii, GloRilla, Flo Milli, and Keke Palmer herself.Â
Issa Rae, who produced the screenplay and is known for her countless worksâincluding one of my all-time favorite shows, Insecureâgave the film that Black Los Angeles girl vibe it needed. In an article, Rae says there are “so many stories and adventures that my friends and I have gotten into, and Syreeta Singleton, who wrote the script, is from this particular neighborhood, and had her adventures in this neighborhood, this is about her and her friends,” truly cementing it as, like Essence says, “a love letter to Black joy and sisterhood.”
Aside from the chest-thumping laughter it induced, One of Them Days has two fully developed Black female leads who are not just there for comedic purposes. I saw reflections of myself in both women, as Alyssa’s struggle with boundaries was all too familiar for my liking. Dreux’s type-A personality and anxious manner reminded me of a version of myself. Through all the chaos, viewers watch authentic moments of growth for both women, furthering my point that this film is an undisputed victory for Black women.
For anyone having a tough day, and Black women especially, this film is a must-see. Despite the unexpected demographic in my theatre, there was rarely a moment of silence. I caught several belly laughs from the older folks and even a couple from the âgoonsâ beside me.
One of Them Days celebrates the effort, complexity, and beauty of Black women everywhere, with the essence of LA only adding to its energy. As an aspiring filmmaker myself, I only hope to make other Black women feel the comfort I felt after watching One of Them Days.