“An audaciously sunny psychological drama that is also a perfectly calibrated comedy… Weirdly difficult to characterize, variously called a satire, a homage, a critique, even a horror film. Most simply, it is a pastiche of the made-for-TV melodrama, a moribund style jolted back to life with waxy visual polish and a liberal infusion of clever gags. Among the most daring movies I’ve seen this year”
—Natalia Winkelman, New York Times Critic’s Pick

“The movie, apparently filmed largely in Early’s home… wears its thriftiness and spontaneity on its sleeve alongside its influences; it’s a loving pastiche of after-school specials featuring Early in a remarkably assured and tender distaff performance as a would-be culinary influencer struggling with bulimia. If that sounds like a recipe for disaster, Early aces his own high-degree-of-difficulty assignment by leveraging his alt-comic instincts against a reverent (and revelatory) cinephilia”
—Adam Nayman, The Ringer

MADDIE’S SECRET is comedian, writer, and actor John Early’s critically acclaimed directorial debut starring himself as Maddie, a plucky dishwasher who leaps to viral superstardom at a trendy food content creation company. While her life seems picturesque — complete with an adoring husband (Eric Rahill), ride-or-die best friend (Kate Berlant), and a cupboard full of woman-owned, ethically-sourced chili crisp to boot — mounting professional pressures threaten to reawaken a hidden secret from her troubled past. A pitch-perfect blend of satire, melodrama, daring tonal shifts, and intimate performances, the film marks a bold new voice in contemporary cinema. With Connor O’Malley, Vanessa Bayer, and a whole raft of brilliant comic actors.