One of Them Days
One of Them Days is the first movie I chose to see this year. And I’m glad I did cause this movie was just as good as I expected. They made a movie that is authentic and relatable. While not making a story that could be seen as condescending or demeaning. One of Them Days is super comical. But comical in a way that will have you almost in disbelief that all these crazy antics can happen in just one day.
It’s almost like when that one friend tells you a story. But they sice it up so much that you question the validity of it. Not because they are a habitual liar or anything. But more so because the scenario is so wild it couldn’t have really gone down like that. One of Them Day is that sentiment personified.
One of Them Days really lives up to the title of the film. It really felt like the whole world was against them sometimes. Even though there were definitely some self-inflected wounds throughout the movie. Combined with plenty of twists that kept you on your toes. Some of them were predictable but they did a good job mixing it up. Plus they did a good job with callbacks in this movie to make for good pay-off moments.
As far as acting goes Keke Palmer and SZA were a great duo. They played off each other’s strengths. You could tell they had chemistry in a way that made their friendship believable. Like they had a real history to fall back on.
One of the things I loved about One of Them Days was how they structured this movie from a pacing standpoint. Structuring it around the time stamps helped keep the pacing fresh. We always had something to look forward to. Plus it was a fun addition to the film that kept us engaged in the craziness that is One of Them Days. This movie has a classic movie night vibe to it. One of Them Days is a feel-good story with a dash of freaky.
I also appreciated how this movie used tact in how they depicted Black people. And what I mean by that is that there was a good balance of culture and artistry. For how wild of a movie One of Them Days was you could tell they were also not trying to do too much. It was more about exploring the experience of all the ways people try and make rent on the first of the month. That’s nothing to scoff at either cause it’s a fine line between authenticity and mockery. The tides can shift as fast as Kat Williams’s 40-yard dash.
Speaking of Kat Williams. One of Them Days had an all-star cast with the likes of Gabrielle Dennis and Amin Joseph. A bunch of comedians like Kat Williams, Janelle James, and Tony Baker are in this joint. Even up-and-comers like Joshua David Neal who I’ve been watching on TikTok for a minute. Keke shined as she usually does and SZA’s performance exceeded my expectations. Not that I thought she was going to be bad or anything. This is just the first movie I have seen her in with a significant speaking role.
The biggest takeaway from One of Them Days was seeing how volatile friendships can be. Especially when money is involved let alone rent. This movie was more about Keke and SZA’s character’s dynamic and their ability to be honest with each other. Making rent was just the muse they used to explore that idea. Don’t get me wrong One of Them Days had endless funny moments but it wasn’t all jokes. They melded the crazy moments with the touching moments perfectly. Seeing how easily long-term friendships can falter. After being hit with conflict after conflict. Until there’s a breaking point but can just as easily be rebuilt when honesty steps in to save the day.
One of Them Days is a good movie that really can be as deep as you wanna make it. That’s your prerogative. But with me being me this is what I took away from the movie. It is a movie you can just sit back and enjoy with your bag of popcorn but also reflect on. Something that re-centers you. Some might call it an escape type of movie or a laugh-at-my-pain type of movie. It just depends on your worldview.
In closing, I would just like to say that One of Them Days had uplifting qualities. That makes you want to root for the main characters. Regardless of their shortcomings. This movie leaves you with a sense of hope. Leaving you with the sentiment that if Keke and SZA can survive the day they had then my life is cake lol. But Like I said prior it doesn’t have to be that deep but the sentiment still reigns true. Plus One of Them Days had me geeking so I have to give it an 8/10 G-Files Score.
