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 (061225)
One of Them Days is an extremely fresh and zany
comedy with an almost all African American cast. It can be classified in the
buddy film genre which experienced its peak in popularity in the 80's with
films such as: 48 Hours (1982), Trading Places (1983), Lethal Weapon (87) and
Stakeout (1987). In these films the two often opposite companions of the same
gender fight and quarrel then they briefly stop being friends before finally
reconciling and reestablishing their friendship as part of the narrative
conclusion. The genre has been less popular lately with the last big film that
fits the genre being
Deadpool & Wolverine
(2024).
One of Them Days is a terrific buddy film/comedy hybrid about two close female
friends who experience almost every imaginable piece of bad luck in a few days.
The two main characters are roommates and they spend most of their time trying
to get enough money together to pay their rent. The film counts down the
remaining time to get the money with the countdown numbers appearing on the
screen. This is in a similar manner to the German art film classic, Run Lola Run
which also featured a character racing to get money together.
This little Indy film is consistently hysterical and it was successful with both
critics and audiences. So far it has made over 50 million off a
fifteen-million-dollar budget and it has gotten positive reviews. The film’s
other big Indy black hit, Sinners, is also highly recommended.
One of Them Days was made by the new film maker, Lawrence Lamont, known for
directing many award-winning videos for musical artists such as Big Sean. He is
helped greatly by writer Syreeta Singleton who delivers perhaps the most amusing
script of the year so far with many colossal chuckles.
The film has no big film stars but has many fine character actors occupy the
supporting roles including Maude Apatow (Euphoria and Knocked Up), comedian Katt
Williams (Slickback the pimp’s voice in The Boondocks) and Vanessa Bell Calloway
(from Coming to America). Also, Janelle James, who plays the flamboyant
principal on Abbott Elementary, has a small but juicy role as a blood bank
employee.
R and B singer, SZA, best known for writing and performing “Kill Bill” a song
commenting on the popular Tarantino cult classic is in the co- lead. She joins
the ranks of other female R and B stars/rappers that started acting. The ranks
also include Beyonce (Goldmember and Obsessed) , Erykah Badu (What Men Want),
Aliyah (Queen of the Damned), Queen Latifah (Hairspray),
Eve (Barbershop) , Lil Kim (She’s All That), Janelle Monae (Harriet
and Hidden Figures) , Niki Minaj (The Other Woman) and Apollonia (Purple Rain).
SZA makes an immediate strong positive impression playing the more spontaneous
and less mature of the duo, and she steals many of the best scenes, many of
which rely on physical comedy.
Keke Palmer is also good at playing the more mature and responsible one of the
duo although her character also makes some mistakes. Keke started out making a
splash as a child actress in Akeelah and the Bean (2000) and she also is
remembered for her role in the Meta slasher TV show, Scream Queens (2015-2016)
as well as the sci-fi film
Nope
(2022). She is a fine straight person for SZA, and the two have great chemistry.
I particularly liked the dialogue in which the two men who love each other
underneath go back and forth verbally jabbing each other.
Kat Williams plays one of the more intriguing side characters in the film. Like
the character in Caveman’s Valentine, he walks the tight rope between being a
crazy, homeless person and wise seer. He warns the two young women not to get
loan from a quickie high interest title loan shop. He tells them, “If you can’t
pay your bills this month what makes you think you will be able to pay them next
month.” But this does not end up affecting anything because the clerk denies the
loan and even laughed at Dreux’s credit score.
Maude Apatow from the Euphoria show has a small but important role as Bethany.
When the new neighbor, Bethany moves in, much of the neighbors view her with
contempt because she is white and obviously upper class, so her arrival is seen
as a sign of the coming of gentrification. But she ends up being unexpectedly
nice and useful to the two friends.
The film is about two stunning young women that are living paycheck to paycheck,
Dreux (the charismatic Keke Palmer) manages a small diner but she aspires to
become a franchise manager. Alyssa (SZA). Her childhood best friend and
roommate, Alyssa (the singer SZA) is in many ways her opposite. Alyssa is an
aspiring artist who is contemptuous of the corporate path and she barely gets by
doing odd jobs.
Dreux makes her biggest mistake by trusting Alysa and giving her this month’s
rent money. But Alyssa foolishly gives all the cash to her lazy irresponsible
boyfriend Keshawn (Joshua David Neal) to pay the rent. But he soon disappears
with the money and goes to stay with his quick to anger big bottomed second
girlfriend, Berniece (Aziza Scott) who crushes her opponents with her derriere.
Berniece fights both of the protagonists at once to steal the rent money back.
It sounds ridiculous and stupid but it actually works in the film.
The two women scramble to raise enough money after they lose it to Berniece, but
there are many other complications. Dreux needs to get to her corporate
interview by 4pm which could lead to a big break and she must pay their
completely dreadful African landlord Uche (Rizi Timane) by six o'clock, or they will get
evicted.
I saw the film both on Netflix and on DVD. Although the film itself is great fun
the DVD content is lackluster and disappointing. The DVD includes no
enlightening interviews and it does not provide anything that would make us
understand or appreciate the film more. It just has some predictably lame gag
reals and some other useless stuff as well as a digital version of the film.
The film occasionally goes over the top particularly during an excessively gory
blood bank scene which is more disgusting than comedic. But overall, this is an
uproarious and entertaining celebration of friendship which gives the audience a
lesson in the value of perseverance. In many ways it is a triumph and a relief
from the constant barrage of assembly line comedy sequels and unnecessary sitcom
remakes.
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