The mid-budget R-rated studio comedy is kind of a relic of a forgotten time. We used to get at least one of these every quarter of the release calendar, and now comedies are largely pushed to streaming services. And that’s a shame, because comedy, much like horror, is a genre best experienced with a big group of people in a theater, reacting to the film in real time. Something is lost when you watch a crowd-pleaser comedy at home. These are movies I love to rewatch at home, but I always remember how fun it was to watch movies like this for the first time in a crowded theater. Yesterday I saw director Lawrence Lamont’s debut feature One of Them Days, starring Keke Palmer and musician SZA in her debut feature film role. I unexpectedly left the film afterwards feeling like a part of my soul needed a movie like this right now.

One of Them Days, as the title would suggest, takes place over the course of a single day. We open on longtime best friends Dreux (Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA), who live together in a rundown apartment in working class Los Angeles, and it’s the first of the month, and the rent is due. Dreux is a waitress who has an interview to be a franchise manager scheduled for later that day. Alyssa is kind of a starving artist who jumps around from relationship to relationship and is a bit of a flake. Once Alyssa’s current fling (Joshua Neal) runs off with their rent money, their landlord threatens to evict them if they are unable to come up with the money by 6pm that day. Hijinks ensue as these friends race against the clock.

One of Them Days runs just over 90 minutes and runs at a remarkably high-energy pace throughout. It’s brisk, tightly plotted but comedically loose and allows the comedic chemistry between Keke Palmer and SZA to take the spotlight for the entire duration. There must be a really good script here, but one that allows the two to improvise and figure out what works comedically for the film, and smartly gives them the room to make this work as well as it can. This one is a total blast the entire way through. It’s uproariously funny, and actually makes you care about these two characters and the continuous obstacles thrown in their way. 

Keke Palmer seems to be just incredibly likable in all walks of life. She’s delightful as an interviewer on her podcast, she was enjoyable to watch when she briefly hosted Good Morning America, she was magnetic and memorable in Jordan Peele’s Nope, and here as a comedienne she proves herself to be wildly charismatic and widely capable of anchoring this kind of movie. And SZA, who has never acted before, makes a formidable impression with strong comedic timing and lived-in chemistry with Palmer. I left the film thinking, these two women must have been good friends who just decided to make a movie together. Apparently it’s not the case and these two are not lifelong best friends. But you could have fooled me.

This is the debut feature film for both director  Lawrence Lamont and screenwriter Syreeta Singleton. And considering this is this duo’s first crack at this, it’s kind of remarkable what they’re able to achieve here. There’s a sitcommy familiarity to the tone of One of Them Days, and I mean that as a deep compliment. But considering the understanding of pacing and tone of these jokes that this duo clearly has, it feels like these creatives have done this kind of thing many times before. And maybe that’s due to the involvement of producer Issa Rae, well-known for her HBO series Insecure. The film definitely feels like something that would have come from her creatively, but with a different vibe to it. This is also a comedy about economic anxiety and inequality. And one thing I’ve always found to be true about comedy is it can come from something serious and not funny, if those who are telling the jokes know what they’re doing.

It’s also worth noting what a genuine love letter this film is to working class Los Angeles. All of the characters who Dreux and Alyssa encounter feel like fully developed people and not like character archetypes, or worse, stereotypes. There is such a strong sense of place in this film, and such a strong affection for the city of Los Angeles. And of course that city has been having a difficult 2025 so far, struck with an unprecedented level of devastation after this year’s series of wildfires. A film like this feels like a warm remembrance of what Los Angeles has always been and what it will be again, as the city recovers from this devastating tragedy. But in general, at a time in American history where everything is depressing and every news story you hear is terrifying, going to a theater for a warm hug of a comedy like One of Them Days feels not unlike a healing experience. 

So, in conclusion, if you’re going to see a new January 2025 release in theaters this week instead of one of the holiday leftovers, I don’t think you’ll be able to do much better than One of Them Days. It’s a zippy, zany, hilarious ride with two expertly crafted comedic performances from Keke Palmer and SZA. We all need to laugh right now, and we all need a break from the general feeling of doom that kind of permeates in the air constantly, and this film is the perfect escape. It’s a comedy about a serious subject that kind of feels like a reward for living through this terrible time in our country. I had a total blast with One of Them Days, and I predict I will be re-watching this one quite a lot in the future.