One of Them Days (2025)

Release Date: January 17, 2025
Director: Lawrence Lamont
Starring: Keke Palmer, SZA, Katt Williams, Lil Rel Howery, Maude Apatow

A Day in the Life: Rent, Recklessness, and Really Bad Decisions

So there I was, having a chilled day, scrolling through movies, snacks in hand, drink ready to go. And boom—One of Them Days pops up. I like Keke Palmer. I like SZA. Should be a fun time, right? Within five minutes, I was getting Friday vibes—like a modern-day Craig and Smokey situation, but with Keke and SZA. Just me? Maybe. But let’s get into it.

The Premise: Rent’s Due, and the Hustle is Real

The film follows Alyssa, a struggling waitress and aspiring fashion designer, and her best friend Dreux, an artsy dreamer who believes "manifesting" will somehow pay the bills. When their rent money mysteriously disappears (ahem—Dreux’s no-good boyfriend DeShawn “borrowed” it for a dumb get-rich-quick scheme), they have until midnight to cough up $1,500—or say hello to eviction.

What follows is a citywide scramble to hustle up cash, with one ridiculous scheme after another: sneaker flipping, fake psychic readings, a disastrous Uber hustle, and an underground poker game that goes left real fast. Along the way, they run into Big Lou, a small-time gangster who may or may not want them dead, and Penny, their overly enthusiastic but completely clueless neighbor who somehow gets roped into the madness.

It’s a classic “one crazy day” story, but with a fresh, modern, and hilariously relatable twist.

Chaotic Bestie Energy at Its Finest

The heart of the movie is Alyssa and Dreux’s friendship. They’re that duo everyone knows—the broke but ride-or-die besties who have no business being this unprepared for life. Alyssa is the responsible one (relatively speaking)—sarcastic, stressed, and always two seconds away from losing her mind. Dreux, on the other hand, is the free spirit, convinced the universe will sort things out (spoiler: it won’t). Their banter is fast, their chemistry is effortless, and their life choices? Questionable at best.

Keke Palmer is, unsurprisingly, the backbone of this movie. She has this way of making even the most ridiculous situations feel real, and her comedic timing is just chef’s kiss. Then there’s SZA. I didn’t even know she acted! And while you can definitely see the experience gap between her and Keke (I mean, Keke's been in the game since she was a kid), she actually does a solid job. She’s funny, engaging, and has great charisma. You can tell she’s not a veteran actress yet, but she holds her own.

DeShawn: The Boyfriend You Love to Hate

Every chaotic movie needs a character who somehow makes everything worse, and DeShawn is that guy. Played by Katt Williams, he’s the classic “businessman” whose business ventures are always on the verge of collapse. Selling fake sneakers? Check. Pitching a pyramid scheme? Of course. Borrowing money he has zero plans to pay back? Naturally.

Katt Williams does what he does best—playing a charismatic, shady dude with just enough charm to make you laugh while shaking your head. Every scene he’s in is gold. He’s frustrating, but in a way that makes everything even funnier.

The Side Characters Who Steal the Show

Lil Rel Howery’s Big Lou is another highlight. He’s that small-time gangster with big-time paranoia, convinced everyone is out to get him (which, to be fair, isn’t entirely wrong). Then there’s Penny, played by Maude Apatow. Now, this was a surprise—I recognized her from Euphoria! First time seeing her in a comedy, and she absolutely nails the awkward, overly eager, trying-way-too-hard-to-fit-in neighbor. Penny is the kind of person who hears “we need to make rent money” and immediately suggests starting an Etsy shop selling handmade bracelets. Useless, but you love her anyway.

The City of LA: The Silent (Yet Loud) Character

Los Angeles itself feels like another character in this movie. We get pawn shops, back-alley poker games, bizarre side hustles, and sketchy rideshare situations. It’s chaotic, unpredictable, and the perfect backdrop for a day where everything that can go wrong does go wrong.

The cinematography captures that LA energy—the neon-lit streets, the cramped apartments, the overly enthusiastic street performers who really need you to tip them. If you’ve ever been broke in a big city, this movie will feel painfully familiar.

A Series of Unfortunate (Yet Hilarious) Events

From the second the rent money goes missing, it’s just a non-stop disaster. They try selling sneakers—fake. Psychic readings—exposed. Uber hustle—first passenger is a fugitive. It’s one L after another, and yet, it never feels exhausting. The pacing keeps things moving, and every failed plan is funnier than the last.

Is It Groundbreaking? No. Is It Fun? Absolutely.

Look, One of Them Days isn’t trying to reinvent comedy. It’s light, chaotic, and hilarious. Sure, it has Friday and Lottery Ticket vibes, but it does its own thing. It’s not deep, it’s not profound—but it doesn’t need to be.

That said, I don’t know if I’d watch it again unless I randomly stumbled across it while flipping through channels. It’s a good time, but not an instant classic. Still, Keke Palmer kills it, SZA holds her own, and Katt Williams is hilarious as always.

Final Verdict: Worth the Watch?

If you need something fun, lighthearted, and full of ridiculous moments, One of Them Days is a solid choice. It’s the kind of movie you put on when you just want to vibe, laugh, and escape reality for a bit.

Would I recommend it? Yeah. Would I watch it again? Probably not, unless I was tipsy and looking for background noise.

My final rating? ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/10.

Until next time—may your rent be paid, your side hustles be successful, and your best friend never let you down (too badly).