There is a lot of high energy throughout the new comedy “One of Them Days.”

Keke Palmer and SZA are both appealing leads, who have great chemistry together, but the screenplay – from first time feature film screenwriter Syreeta Singleton – only offers a few surprises and even fewer laughs.

It’s a case of a wasted opportunity with a talented cast willing to do whatever necessary for the bit.

“Days” tells the story of Dreux (Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA), best friends and roommates who find themselves in a bind when Alyssa’s deadbeat boyfriend Keshawn (Joshua David Neal) squanders the rent money. The friends face eviction at the end of the day if they can’t come up with the money.

Further complicating things is a chance at a huge promotion for Dreux, with an interview for a management position that could really help all of their financial woes.

“Days” draws on a lot of films – “Girls Trip” and “Friday” just to name a few. Director Lawrence Lamont, who has a background directing music videos, keeps the film zipping along at a frantic pace that keeps the lulls at a minimum.

Palmer is really good at shifting from the (semi) serious moments to the ones meant to be comedic – with some astute comic timing that would probably look even better in a funnier script. SZA is a nice comic foil, but like Palmer is hindered by the writing.

When “Days” hits, it really hits. An extended sequence in a cash advance place (which includes a fun supporting performance from Katt Williams as a homeless man trying to keep people from going in) provides most of the film’s biggest laughs. There is also a visit to a blood donation center that is pretty inspired, even if it doesn’t quite deliver the laughs that you might expect with the setup.

Unfortunately, for every moment like these the film features long stretches – and gags – that miss the mark completely. A running joke about a thief who steals food at a drive-thru on foot doesn’t have a very good payoff, while some jokes at the expense of Maude Apatow, as a white woman who moves into the apartment complex, would probably work better if Apatow’s character had been given more time to develop.

The misses ultimately outweigh the hits making “One of Them Days” one of those frustrating comedies – with the promise of what could have been permeating throughout.

If You Go
“One of Them Days”
Starring: Keke Palmer, SZA
Directed by: Lawrence Lamont
Rating: R for language throughout, sexual material and some drug references.
Playing at: Regal Bowling Green Stadium 12, Regal Greenwood Stadium 10, Highland Cinemas (Glasgow)
Grade: C