Box Office: Hollywood gets its first CLEAN-HIT of 2025 with Keke Palmer and SZA's One Of Them Days

One of Them Days, starring Keke Palmer and SZA, emerges as Hollywood's first clean hit of 2025, surpassing expectations with over USD 40 million projected in box office sales on a modest 14M production budget.

Written by Seema Sinha , Entertainment Journalist

Published on Jan 29, 2025 | 05:02 PM IST | 29K

Picture Courtesy: Sony Pictures

One of Them Days has emerged as Hollywood’s first clean hit of 2025, with an impressive box office performance, grossing well beyond its expectations. The female-led buddy comedy, starring Keke Palmer and SZA in her feature film debut, has quickly become the audience’s favorite, leading to a projected final US run of over USD 40 million.

With a budget of just USD 14 million, excluding marketing, the film has already proven to be a profitable endeavor.

Directed by Lawrence Lamont and written by Syreeta Singleton, One of Them Days chronicles the life of two best friends and roommates, Dreux (Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA), who get caught in a whirlwind of chaos after the latter’s boyfriend squanders their rent money. To avoid eviction and preserve their friendship, the duo embarks on a comedic race against time to solve their financial crisis.

The relatable, humorous plot has resonated with audiences, with Palmer and SZA’s film being the only light adult watch in the current film market inundated with either action thrillers like Den of Thieves 2 and Flight Risk or animation offerings like Mufasa: The Lion King, Moana 2, and Sonic the Hedgehog 3.

One of Them Days stands out not only in narrative but also for what it could do for Hollywood in terms of future film creation. The movie, captivating viewers with themes of female friendship, resilience, and humor, suggests that filmmakers don’t always need to push the limits by complicating the storyline with science fiction, superheroes, and horror elements.

One of Them Days, for the record, is the first theatrical R-rated female black comedy since 2017’s Girls Trip. The latter film, starring Regina Hall, Tiffany Haddish, Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah, and more, was a massive success, grossing USD 140.9 million on a budget of USD 19 million.

One of Them Days has a 94% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.