Directed by Lawrence Lamont & written by Syreeta Singleton comes a film starring Keke Palmer & SZA – an unlikely duo you didn’t know you needed. When Alyssa’s (SZA) boyfriend steals her rent money, her and her roommate, Dreux (Palmer) race against the clock to avoid eviction and keep their friendship intact. Keke Palmer is an underrated actress & I love SZA’s music. When I was accepted to a press screening, I immediately accepted, and I am glad I did.

This is a great time! My theater was consistently laughing throughout. It’s just unfortunate when people don’t take the no phones rule seriously and there’s no consequences, such as the case for the individual in front of me. Crazy stuff. Back to the movie. I wouldn’t say I was consistently laughing, but I had a great time. There’s a lot of fun that I would say is more held together by the cast more than the script.

It baffles me that Palmer hasn’t been in more. Between this and Nope, I really hope she gets more work. I am unclear as to whether or not she needs it, but I think it’s something the audience needs. Her charisma with everyone and everything is electrifying. She helps bring her together to life through humor and heart. SZA is also great as Palmer’s other half. They have such great comedic timing. You can truly believe these two are friends in real life. I hope this isn’t the last that we see them in a movie together.

As for the rest of the cast, I was really impressed by how good everyone was. Maude Apatow is there. At first she seems pointless, but then she serves a purpose that makes her character really interesting. That goes for everyone else. This is a stacked cast. I wouldn’t say the writing always does the characters favors, but the directions really helps bring the craziness out of the situations to help the characters give solid performances. Having Katt Williams there speaking the truth was a hilarious touch. It’s great to see Keyla Monterroso Mejia get more work after Curb Your Enthusiasm. Aziza Scott is also a solid standout! Great casting and direction really helps us get invested with the characters.

The writing is a lot of hit or miss for me. It is very predictable as it sets specific groundwork to make you pay close attention. Just as something weird happened, I was like “Oh, I bet you this will happen…” And it did. There are also some moments where I questioned why they needed to happen. A landlord goes through the effort of taking everything out of an apartment, but decides to change his mind. Who does that? My bad, this is a movie. When this consistently happens throughout the movie, it could be annoying, but it is once again elevated by its amazing cast. I think the third act takes the most surprising turn, even it can still result in some eye rolls for comedy sake. There are things that happen that would never happen, but its heart is in the right place that makes it enjoyable.

The themes can also be repetitive. Just as the movie started, I could immediately see what it was going for, and it all happened. The difference is the journey to get there and what it had to say about your hardest days. It’s not the kind of film that you need to ponder on, but it did have me thinking how some of the worst things can lead to the best things in life. I like how the film took course over one day. It not only adds urgency to the situation, but also shows how life can change for the better if you don’t give up.

The technical components work in the film’s favor. There is some unique editing that was quite comical. The cinematography gave us a grand landscape of the L.A. area, even when it strongly reminded me of what’s really going on over there. The film also has a great soundtrack to accompany the craziness the film endures.

Overall, I had a good time with it. I enjoy the craziness more than I laughed, and that’s okay. With such a likable cast attached, it’s hard not to have fun. With strong direction and cliche writing, the film still finds way to make this an entertaining watch. It’s something I wouldn’t mind watching again, and I certainly believe this will be something viewers will enjoy when it opens wide this weekend.

VERDICT: 3/5 (Good)