One of Them Days Parent Guide
Funny and lighthearted, this zany film has too much negative content for family audiences.
Parent Movie Review
It’s a big day for Dreux (pronounced “Drew” and played by Keke Palmer). She just finished her night shift at the neighborhood diner and is planning on some much-needed sleep to recharge before a big interview later in the day. This is her shot at becoming a franchise manager and finally escaping the paycheck-to-paycheck lifestyle she and her artist roommate, Alyssa (SZA) know all too well.
Sadly, things don’t go as planned. Dreux has barely closed her eyes before she discovers the horrifying truth: Alyssa’s self-absorbed boyfriend Keshawn (Joshua David Neal) stole and spent their rent money. If they don’t come up with $1500 before 6 pm, their landlord will evict them immediately.
Understandably terrified, the roomies go into panic mode. Thus starts a day of madcap adventures including a visit to a payday lender, a messy attempt at blood donation, a perilous experience with a power line, crossed paths with Keshawn’s feral girl-on-the-side (Janelle James), and a potentially lethal encounter with local gangster, King Lolo (Amin Joseph). Will Dreux ace her interview and finally earn a real salary? Will the women make rent or get evicted? Will they survive the wrath of Lolo?
Before reviewing the film, I should be clear: this movie isn’t made for me. I’m a middle-aged, middle-class white woman who lives in the suburbs. I am 100% certain that there are jokes in this movie that went right over my head. That said, I can attest that there are some genuinely funny moments in this loony film. Is it great cinema? No. Will it make you laugh? Probably. Despite its insane plot, this is a good-natured, light-hearted film that cares about its characters and cares enough about its audience to move along briskly. Without sacrificing pacing, the script even manages to build in some strong messages about the precariousness of housing for low-income households and the predatory nature of payday loans. Those issues ground the film and balance the pervasive silliness.
Sadly, I can’t recommend this movie as a source of brainless entertainment due to its high levels of negative content. The Restricted rating is well earned, thanks to over 130 profanities, including 63 sexual expletives. There are also moments of crude sexual innuendo, a scene of background characters using marijuana, and several scenes of physical fighting and firearms use. It’s frustrating, because there’s a not-too-bad story here about resilience, persistence, friendship, and optimism. But, I guess this is just another “one of them days” in the life of a family movie critic.
Directed by Lawrence Lamont. Starring Keke Palmer, SZA, Joshua David Neal, Janelle James. Running time: 97 minutes. Theatrical release January 17, 2025. Updated January 16, 2025
Watch the trailer for One of Them Days
One of Them Days
Rating & Content Info
Why is One of Them Days rated R? One of Them Days is rated R by the MPAA for language throughout, sexual material and brief drug use
Violence: A man threatens people with a handgun and shoots at women. A man orders that another man be dropped from a window: the actual murder isn’t seen. There are a few scenes of violence between women, involving hitting, punching, pushing, and shoving. One woman forcibly sits on other women. A woman receives a serious electric shock from a power line. A man is injured when a ceiling falls in on him. A woman donates too much blood and is seen grey and tired. A botched blood donation leads to blood being sprayed around a room, leaving people covered in large amounts of blood.
Sexual Content: A man walks around his girlfriend’s apartment wearing only underwear. A man’s erection is visible through his briefs. There is a brief discussion of preferred sexual positions. A woman attempts to get a man’s attention by wiggling her backside suggestively.
Profanity: There are over 120 profanities in the script, including over five dozen sexual expletives, two dozen scatological curses, 13 terms of deity, and 14 minor swear words. Crude anatomical terms are used over 16 times. A racial slur is used by Black characters on a couple of occasions. Women are frequently referred to by a derogatory term, sometimes even amongst themselves.
Alcohol / Drug Use: Main characters drink alcohol in a social context. Adults are seen smoking what is likely marijuana.
Page last updated January 16, 2025
One of Them Days Parents' Guide
What do you think are the elements that keep Dreux and Alyssa’s friendship together? How do they deal with differences? How do they help each other? How do they overcome challenges in that relationship?
Home Video
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This film often feels like a screwball comedy. If you enjoy the genre, we recommend Fly Me to the Moon and What’s Up, Doc?