If you have never heard of Murphy's Law, it is the general concept that "anything that can go wrong will go wrong". For Dreux, pronounced 'Drew', (Keke Palmer; Nope) and her roommate, Alyssa (SZA; Insecure), they find themselves drowning in Murphy's Law over approximately 12 hours. Between trying to come up with rent money and money for a gangster who wants them dead, the two have a wild and out-of-control day. Their bad luck and antics over that half a day are documented in the film, One of Them Days, heading to Blu-ray this week.
Dreux works as a waitress at a chain restaurant but is looking to move up to manager. Alyssa is a struggling artist. The two live in a rundown apartment complex with Alyssa's boyfriend, Keshawn (Joshua David Neal; Before the Dark). When their landlord, Uche (Rizi Timane; Decker), comes to collect the rent, the ladies have no idea what he is talking about until they realize KeShawn took the rent money and they now have no way to pay their rent before the end of the day. Even coming up with the most hare-brained schemes to get money doesn't seem to work out for them, as they are racing against the clock and running out of time.
Palmer and SZA have great comedic timing that serves them well with this project. The two have great chemistry as well, which makes their storyline as best friends from childhood believable. Palmer has been acting for years, so she is a trained veteran at this point, but this movie marks SZA's feature film debut, and she manages to hold her own next to the talented Palmer. Neal, on the other hand, is mediocre as the rent-stealing, double-crossing boyfriend. Supporting cast members Katt Williams (Scary Movie V), Patrick Cage (Mayor of Kingstown), and Maude Apatow (The King of Staten Island) all have their funny moments.
The 1080p video resolution with a 2.39:1 aspect ratio looks excellent on a small screen. Colors are bright and pop off the screen, and even the little details are easy to see with the naked eye. The picture quality is clean and sharp, making the overall viewing experience top-notch.
The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 is very good, and the soundtrack benefits from the multilayered audio used throughout the film. The dialogue is crisp and has a very good balance with other elements of the film, such as the music used throughout the film.
The combo pack offers about 10 minutes of extras that are ok but not great. They include: Just One of Them Gag Reels, Behind the Scenes Featurettes: Dream Team and Block Party: The Cast and What's In My Bag with Lucky. Though they are decent extras, the lack of quantity could be seen as disappointing for some consumers.
One of Them Days is a true buddy comedy film, and Palmer and SZA are well cast and make it seem like they have been working together for a long time. The concept isn't anything new, and the events that transpire within the 12 hours are rather predictable.
I am not the intended audience for this movie, so while I recognize the contributions of Palmer and SZA, I had a difficult time getting past the cliché plot points that anyone can see coming from a mile away. One of Them Days has a lot going for it, and I'm sure it hit hard with younger, primarily African American audiences, but for me, some of the jokes fell flat, and I couldn't relate to many of the scenes, having no reference point to draw from.
Grade: B
