Maddie’s Secret Trailer: John Early Crafts a Sincere Satire in Directorial Debut

In one of the most impressive tonal feats of the year, John Early’s directorial debut Maddie’s Secret––which finds the actor playing a woman juggling career dreams, marriage, and a traumatic secret––is both hilarious and heartfelt, a satire-meets-melodrama with an emotional core that sneaks up on the viewer. With a cast including Kate Berlant, Eric Rahill, Claudia O’Doherty, Conner O’Malley, and Vanessa Bayer, the TIFF and New Directors/New Films selection will now roll out to theaters beginning June 19th and Magnolia Pictures has released the first trailer.

Here’s the synopsis: “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.”

Jake Kring-Schreifels said in his review, “That Maddie’s Secret, his directorial debut, is Early’s biggest commitment to date isn’t just because he goes full drag as the titular heroine. But let’s start there. When he bursts onto the screen jogging around Los Angeles, Early gives the audience a few minutes to wrap their head around his transformation into a blonde aspiring chef. While this isn’t a cheap, shock-worthy gag, he knows he has to recontextualize the reality and humor of his new gender, providing an adjustment period to get on Maddie’s wavelength and see the character as more than one big cosplay. In a satire like this, the laughs start heavy, but Early’s best trick is ending this journey in an earnest, emotionally authentic place. He’s not playing a punchline so much as a humorous, painful truth.”

See the trailer and poster below.