One of Them Days became one of 2025’s most surprising box office success stories. The R-rated buddy comedy starring Keke Palmer and Grammy-winning artist SZA (in her acting debut) earned over $51 million worldwide against a modest $14 million budget [citation:7]. Usyk vs Fury 2 delivered a blockbuster heavyweight rematch that went the distance. Here is everything you need to know about One of Them Days in 2026.
Plot Summary: A Race Against the Clock for Rent Money
The film follows best friends and roommates Dreux (Keke Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA) in Los Angeles. Dreux has a career-changing job interview coming up. She desperately needs rest and focus. Alyssa, the more carefree of the two, has been dating Keshawn, a sneaker-obsessed boyfriend with no financial sense [citation:3][citation:8].
Their landlord threatens eviction unless they pay $1,500 in back rent by 6:00 PM. The duo soon discovers that Keshawn has blown their rent money. What follows is a chaotic, comical race against the clock. They try everything from applying for loans to donating blood for cash. They even climb a telephone pole to retrieve a pair of expensive Jordans [citation:4].
Along the way, they cross paths with Ruby (Janelle James), a neighbourhood menace everyone fears. Lucky (Katt Williams), an eccentric protester outside a loan store, also complicates their plans [citation:3][citation:8]. Universal Studios UK has officially received planning permission for a massive new theme park resort in Bedford.
Cast: Who Stars in One of Them Days
The film features an impressive ensemble cast [citation:7]:
- Keke Palmer as Dreux, the responsible roommate trying to keep everything together
- SZA as Alyssa, the free-spirited best friend whose boyfriend causes the crisis
- Katt Williams as Lucky, a memorable supporting character
- Janelle James as Ruby, the neighbourhood menace
- Lil Rel Howery as The Buyer
- Maude Apatow as Bethany
- Vanessa Bell Calloway as Mama Ruth
- Joshua Neal as Keshawn, the unreliable boyfriend
- Patrick Cage as Maniac
- Gabrielle Dennis as Shayla
- Amin Joseph as King Lolo
The film marks SZA’s feature acting debut. The Grammy-winning R&B artist brings her natural charisma to the role of Alyssa [citation:4]. Nicole Appleton has made a triumphant return to music with her sister Natalie as the duo Appleton.
Critical Reception: Divided Opinions
One of Them Days received mixed to positive reviews from critics. The film holds a 7.2/10 rating on IMDb [citation:5]. However, audience opinions remain sharply divided.
Positive Reviews
Supporters praise Palmer’s comedic timing and the chemistry between the two leads. “Keke Palmer and SZA are both hilarious and great,” one IMDb reviewer wrote. “One of Them Days is a fair buddy comedy film that gives Keke Palmer and SZA the spotlight to charm with their humor” [citation:10].
The film’s commercial success speaks for itself. It grossed over $51 million worldwide, significantly outperforming its $14 million budget [citation:7]. The first weekend brought in $11.6 million domestically. North American audiences contributed approximately $25 million to the total [citation:2].
Negative Reviews
Critics of the film point to predictable plotting and uneven humour. “The script is feeble and predictable,” wrote the Cape Times. “The humour is silly, trashy, and forced” [citation:8].
One scathing IMDb review called it “a cinematic disaster.” The reviewer added: “The script is so razor-thin that if you held it up to the light, you could see straight through to the writers’ lunch break” [citation:5].
Some viewers also criticised the film’s reliance on stereotypes. “It’s filled with pretty much every stereotype you could think of,” wrote another dissatisfied viewer. “The acting talent was non-existent” [citation:5]. Real Madrid vs Marseille delivered a dramatic Champions League opener with Mbappe scoring two penalties.
Where to Watch One of Them Days in 2026
One of Them Days is distributed by Sony Pictures. Sony films typically receive extended theatrical windows before streaming on Netflix [citation:1]. The movie had its theatrical release on January 17, 2025 [citation:7].
As of 2026, One of Them Days is available for digital purchase or rental on platforms including Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and Vudu. The film is not currently streaming on Netflix, but Sony’s output deal with the platform suggests it may arrive there eventually [citation:1].
Swedish viewers can access the film via Viaplay Group under the title “V film premiere” [citation:6]. The runtime is approximately 1 hour and 33 minutes (97 minutes) [citation:1][citation:7]. Molotov cocktail attacks have made headlines in 2026 following the attempted assassination of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
Production Details: Issa Rae and the Creative Team
Lawrence Lamont makes his feature directorial debut with One of Them Days. He previously worked on the script alongside writer Syreeta Singleton [citation:4][citation:7].
The project comes from Issa Rae’s production company Hoorae [citation:4][citation:7]. Rae, known for creating and starring in the hit HBO series “Insecure,” served as a producer. This connection raised expectations among fans of Rae’s previous work [citation:3][citation:8].
Other producers include Deniese Davis, Sara Rastogi, James Lopez and Poppy Hanks. Chanda Dancy composed the musical score. Ava Berkofsky handled cinematography [citation:7].
Box Office Performance: A Sleeper Hit
Despite mixed critical reception, One of Them Days outperformed box office expectations. The film grossed $51.6 million worldwide against a $14 million budget [citation:7].
The opening weekend brought in $11.6 million in North America. The domestic total reached approximately $25 million. International markets contributed the remaining $26.6 million [citation:2][citation:7].
This financial success made One of Them Days one of 2025’s more profitable comedies. It demonstrated the drawing power of Keke Palmer and SZA as a comedic duo [citation:10].
Comparison to Similar Films
Critics have compared One of Them Days to classic buddy comedies like “Friday” (1995). Both films centre on characters scrambling to pay rent by a deadline [citation:5].
However, many reviewers note that One of Them Days fails to reach the heights of its predecessors. “This was like someone attempting to put together a movie similar to Friday, but switch the cast to female and give it a few changes here and there,” one IMDb user wrote [citation:5].
Others have drawn comparisons to “Broad City” and “Insecure” given the focus on female friendship. Unfortunately, most agree the execution falls short of those benchmarks [citation:3][citation:8].
Frequently Asked Questions
Is One of Them Days on Netflix? Not yet. Sony Pictures distributes the film. Sony typically gives its movies extended theatrical windows before streaming on Netflix. The film is currently available for digital purchase or rental [citation:1].
Is One of Them Days a good movie? Audience opinions are divided. The film holds a 7.2/10 rating on IMDb. Some viewers praise the chemistry between Keke Palmer and SZA. Others criticise the predictable plot and uneven humour [citation:5][citation:10].
What is rated? The film is rated R for language throughout, sexual references and brief drug use [citation:2][citation:7].
How long is One of Them Days? The film runs approximately 97 minutes (1 hour and 37 minutes) [citation:1][citation:7].
Who produced One of Them Days? Issa Rae produced the film through her company Hoorae. Lawrence Lamont directed from a script by Syreeta Singleton [citation:4][citation:7].
Is One of Them Days SZA’s first movie? Yes. One of Them Days marks the Grammy-winning R&B artist’s feature acting debut [citation:4].
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