Directed by Lawrence Lamont | Written by Syreeta Singleton | 97 min | ▲▲▲ | Crave

The movie shares a day in the lives of Dreaux (Keke Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA), pals and roomies living in a tough neighbourhood in Los Angeles. Alyssa is a painter and in-between jobs, but is being served by Keshawn (Joshua David Neal), while Dreaux works in a diner and at 4 o’clock has an interview for a gig as a franchise manager.

Dreux is the ambitious one, who maybe is strung a little too tight, but at least she’s got a plan. Alyssa is terminally laid back. It’s your classic Odd Couple vibe. When Alyssa gives the rent money to Keshawn to pay the landlord — and who pays in cash these days? — he “borrows” it to invest in his own t-shirt label. That gives the ladies the day to find $1500 bucks before their landlord, Uche (Rizi Timane) throws them out on the street.

They track down Keshawn at the apartment of his other girlfriend, the highly aggressive Shayla (Gabrielle Dennis), but as he’s already spent the money, they need to get cash fast. One of the best scenes has them in a payday loans joint, where a guy named Lucky (Katt Williams) tries to convince them not to do it.

That’s what works best in this buddy comedy — the characters. The script is crammed with situational humour, which works, but it’s missing real jokes (with the ones that are here included in the trailer) while the plot is holier than the Vatican.

That said, each of the characters we meet feels entirely wrought, including the white girl who moves into their building, Bethany (Maude Apatow), the hot guy Dreux is into, Maniac (Patrick Cage), the dude (Lil Rel Howery) who buys original Michael Jordan sneakers off Dreux, and even the gangsta who says they’re his, King Lolo (Amin Joseph), and wants five grand for his trouble. This is a terrific community surrounding Palmer and SZA, whose chemistry sizzles. As a throwback hangout movie, this is fun.

Too bad about the jokes though. Maybe in the sequel.