John Early, the comedian, makes his first foray into feature directing with “Maddie’s Secret,” a quirky nod to melodrama that he both wrote and stars in as the main character. Maddie Ralph (played by Early) is an enthusiastic food influencer with a seemingly perfect life: she has a loving husband (Eric Rahill), a loyal best friend (Kate Berlant), and a job at a culinary content studio, Gourmaybe. However, as the title hints, Maddie harbors a secret she can’t bear to share, one that might prove deadly.
After the movie premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last fall, I praised “Maddie’s Secret” in my review for Mashable, noting, “The film is silly and strange, but even amid campy bits, sincere. So, you’ll laugh at its parody elements, but may well be genuinely moved by Early’s commitment to this strange and splendid film.”
I also made a comparison, claiming “John Early is a better ingénue than Sydney Sweeney,” when likening “Maddie’s Secret” to another sincere, though less engaging TIFF entry, “Christy.” I still stand by that statement.
“Maddie’s Secret” is set to release in theaters in New York on June 19, and in Los Angeles on June 26.