Keke Palmer and SZA’s buddy comedy, “One of Them Days” is a box office success, dethroning “Mufasa: The Lion King” from its month-long reign as the number 1 film in theatres. Executive produced by media mogul Issa Rae, with a screenplay by Syreeta Singleton, “One of Them Days” is the feature film directorial debut for Lawrence Lamont.
In the movie, Emmy Award-winning, generational talent, Keke Palmer plays “Dreux”, a hard-working waitress preparing to interview for a promotion. And in her theatrical debut, GRAMMY Award-winning singer, SZA plays “Alyssa”, a free-spirited painter. We meet the pair of best friends and roommates on the first of the month when rent is due. However, Alyssa gives their rent money to her less-than-reliable boyfriend “Keshawn” (actor Joshua David Neal) who instead of paying their landlord, spends it on knockoff t-shirts. Now Alyssa and Dreux have less than eight hours to come up with $1,500 or face eviction. Shenanigans ensue as the pair go on an adventure to cobble together the funds before the impending deadline.
While “One of Them Days” is indeed a comedy with a lot of physical gags and moments in which you’ll have to suspend reality to laugh at the moment, there’s also an inspiring and empowering message at the heart of the film especially for those in creative fields like SZA’s character “Alyssa” who’s able to utilize her artwork to get she and Dreux out of their precarious situation.
When asked what he wants audiences to take away from the film, director Lawrence Lamont shared, “That anything is possible. Even if your back is against the wall, if you run out of options and nothing’s working, you can still make it happen. Also, hope is alive and it exists. So not only do I want people to have a good time laughing, but I want them to leave feeling really hopeful as well.”
Executive producer Issa Rae shared what she wants moviegoers to glean from the film. “If your friends aren’t growing with you, or pushing you to be better, are they really your friends? That’s what I want people to leave with. I love the dynamic of these two in the movie, and I hope people feel good about Alyssa and Dreux leaving the theatre.”
While Alyssa isn’t always fiscally responsible, she is incredibly supportive of Dreux when it comes to encouraging her friend to be more self-assured. Alyssa also persuades Dreux to spend time with her crush, “Maniac” played by actor Patrick Cage. In real life, the Leimert Park native has been friends with Palmer for over a decade and he previously worked with Issa Rae and Lawrence Lamont on the HBO series, “Rap Sh!t”.
In “One of Them Days”, “Maniac” got into some trouble in his youth but was able to turn his life around and become a firefighter who happens to come to Dreux and Alyssa’s rescue when there’s a fire in their apartment. In an unforeseen coincidence, Cage’s storyline bears similarities to the recent and unprecedented wildfires in Los Angeles. Cage spoke with D’AMOUR Magazine about his thoughts on the release of the film amid current events.
“As we’re starting to get some containment on the fires, I feel like the movie is very timely. It’s kind of a double-edged sword when you see the fire starting to happen [in the film]. Because of the time we’re in, you naturally think about what’s happening outside, but when Maniac helps to save everyone, we’re reminded of the actual firefighters and the work they’ve done to contain the fires. Though it’s eerily timed, it’s been an honor to portray a fireman to positively represent what they go through and what they stand for, which is community and protection.”
Cage went on to say, “Because of what we’ve just gone through, Los Angeles needs to laugh so I think this movie is coming out at the perfect time. It brings some connection to the reality of the situation, but it’s also providing a bit of an escape. This film is a love letter to LA, so anyone who’s been affected can watch this and reminisce, or have this positive moment and feeling towards the city if they’re going through a little bit of hardship right now. But one thing about LA: We always bounce back.”
The cast of Issa Rae’s hit series “Insecure” hosted a free screening of “One of Them Days” on Saturday, January 18th at The Grove, and Hoorae Media also hosted a free screening for those affected by fires on Sunday, January 19th at the Cinemark Baldwin Hills/Crenshaw Theatre. Additional fire relief efforts include the Slauson location of Rae’s Hilltop coffeeshop accepting toiletry items that were delivered to Pasadena Church for Altadena residents.
“One of Them Days” (SONY) is in theatres now.