If there is one way to get Grammy-winning R&B singer SZA to jumpstart her acting career, the movie “One of Them Days” would be it.
The film was first released in theatres on January 17 but dropped on Netflix on March 31, where it has consistently remained at the top of the service’s top 10 trending page. Starring Keke Palmer as Dreux and SZA as Alyssa, the film follows two best friends and roommates who have to figure out a way to get rent money to their landlord in time when they discover that Alyssa’s boyfriend had stolen and spent every last penny.
I wanted to first address the film’s aesthetics, which were beautifully saturated in a way that was not too much or too little. One thing I love about movies is when the color palettes of some shots convey a vibrant tone.
The California sun paired with the oranges and whites of Dreux’s diner, the baby pink walls of her and Alyssa’s apartment complex, and the furniture inside their apartment was simply a chef’s kiss and very pleasing to the eyes.
Not to mention the wardrobe for both main characters is full of texture and color. I loved the sunset-colored top Alyssa wore in the middle of the movie — referencing one of her famous songs — and the precious green gem hanging around her neck was a good addition to tie the look together.
I also really loved the orange and yellow tank that Dreux had near the end of the film, which was illuminated so well by the backdrop of twinkling lights.
The banter between Dreux and Alyssa was well-executed. Their line deliveries were sharp and witty, and the jokes were well-written. They were funny in a “yikes I am so sorry for you, but it is very entertaining to see you deal with issues like this” way.
I also liked how straightforward the plot was. The concept of rent and annoying landlords resonated with me, considering I have heard a ton of horror stories about my apartment complex.
Alyssa’s boyfriend, Keshawn, was like a spider on the wall that disappeared and came back into sight whenever it wanted to. A pest that had the skills to evade capture the first few tries, but after tracking its whereabouts and learning its patterns, was easy to catch.
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I liked how he served as a crutch to Alyssa’s character development, as she was blind to how she was treated during their relationship in the film’s opening. This led to a satisfying growth in her role as time progressed. In the first half, I was so done with Alyssa and ready to stop watching due to frustration, but that took a 360 as I powered on.
One thing that I didn’t really like was the CGI. I didn’t know if it was intentional or not due to the comedy aspect, but there was one scene where it was poorly executed and took away from an impactful character moment.
Concerning Dreux’s love interest, I felt that the final realization viewers were supposed to get about his occupation was super obvious and not very satisfying to watch build up-wise.
If they had omitted a prop from one of the shots and then included it during the reveal instead of letting viewers have a glimpse of it seconds before, the scene would have been more of a shock.
Overall, I felt like this movie accurately depicted a culmination of small, everyday mistakes leading up to bigger, more serious ones, which I those was relatable in a sense. The film left me feeling sorry for what they had to go through, but hopeful my life will never be as bad as Dreux and Alyssa’s situation.