One of Them Days’ Review: SZA and Keke Palmer Shine as a Comedy Duo

What do you get when you pair a four-time Grammy-winning singer with a former child star who’s a jack of all trades in the entertainment industry? We don’t know either, but get a ticket and some popcorn to find out.

Keke Palmer and SZA team up in “One of Them Days,” a buddy comedy film. Yes, you read that right: two female leads in a film.

According to a study done by San Diego State University’s Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film, there has been a recent exponential rise in female leads.

It was found that out of the 100 top domestic grossing films in 2024, 42% had female protagonists. This is the closest match women have had to the percentage of films with male protagonists in recent years. This was a dramatic increase from 2023 when only 28% of films were told from a female perspective, whereas 62% reflected the perspective of a male protagonist.

Palmer plays Dreux, a waitress working toward becoming a franchise manager who shares a low-income apartment with her best friend, Alyssa, played by SZA. Alyssa is a boy-crazy artist who lacks confidence in her work.

On the day of Dreux’s big interview for a Franchise manager position, Alyssa’s good-for-nothing boyfriend uses the intended rent money for his personal use, leaving the women in a bind.

The film follows the two childhood best friends as they race against the clock to put together the money for their landlord in time or face eviction.

Director Lawrence Lamont, producer Issa Rae, and writer Syreeta Singleton collaborated to deliver a hilarious and compelling story of friendship and resilience. This is their second go around at a major project as a trio following their work on the Max series Rap Sh!t, which wrapped up in 2022.

Adding to the humor, “One of Them Days” features a standout performance by comedic legend Katt Williams, who plays Lucky, a persistent mentor figure who is determined to stop Druex and Alyssa from making mistakes. His first encounter with the duo is a hilarious attempt to dissuade them from taking out a loan with an obviously shady company named “We Gotcha.”

The film also boasts several comedic cameos including Palmer’s mother, as well as Tony Baker, Keyla Monterroso, and “Abbott Elementary” star Janelle James.

Set in L.A., “One of Them Days” highlights the dynamic between Dreux and Alyssa who are best friends but complete opposites. Dreux is the responsible and ambitious one while Alyssa is spontaneous and a bit reckless. Their contrast in personalities often leads to more missteps than intended throughout the film. This is on full display as they work together to fix their predicament, testing and strengthening their bond.

This isn’t SZA and Palmer’s first appearance on screen together. The duo first teamed up on “Saturday Night Live” when Palmer hosted the sketch comedy show with SZA as her musical guest in 2022. The chemistry between the two on SNL was what inspired Lamont to cast SZA as Alyssa.

“We auditioned a lot of people, trying to find that perfect pairing and then we realized Keke and SZA had this chemistry on SNL,”  Lamont said during an interview with “Hot Spot ATL.” “When I had an audition with them together, I was immediately was like ‘You are the Alyssa.’”

With few female-led buddy films, “One of Them Days” offers a fresh change. The film displays a blend of L.A. style, millennial humor, and a soundtrack blending rap and pop to create a unique vibe.

Since its release on Jan. 17, “One of Them Days” has received positive reviews from critics and spent its premiere weekend at No. 1 in theaters.