Every so often, a new comedy duo cements itself in the niche corners of the internet, waiting for the general population to catch up to their wit. For over a decade, John Early and Kate Berlant have filled those shoes in the stand-up comedy and television worlds, but it’s always felt like they were waiting for the right moment to bring their New York sensibility to the silver screen together. In his first venture behind the camera, John Early delivers on fans’ anticipation of the two co-starring in the absurd yet heartfelt Maddie’s Secret (2025).
Taking on the titular role of Maddie Ralph, Early looks exactly like a contemporary Cher Horowitz with the optimistic attitude to boot. This role is a drag performance first, inviting the audience into the joke, rather than a caricature of an ambitious woman we should point and laugh at. In fact, there are a few other actors who could pull off the attentiveness and care that Early shows towards this character, demonstrating Early’s appreciation and respect for the women who have informed his sense of humor.
During the film’s opening, we witness Maddie’s daily routine that consists of jogging across East Los Angeles, cooking for her doting (and incredibly charming) husband Jake (Eric Rahill), and working with her best friend Deena (Kate Berlant) at a Bon Appétit-style production company called Gourmaybe. Although they are only dishwashers at the office, Maddie dreams of hosting her own show on the company’s website and of rivaling Emily (Claudia O’Doherty) for the number-one spot on the network. When their sleazy boss informs them that the producers for the Emmy-winning FX show The Boar are looking for a new fine dining consultant, Maddie begins her ascent to stardom – but the skeletons in her closet threaten to derail her growing popularity.
The first act unfolds as many Early and Berlant projects do, with the pair scheming their way to success, typically disrupting the lives of those around them in ludicrous ways. Deena’s secret crush on Maddie also prompts some chuckles here and there, but Berlant’s trademark physicality and commitment to portraying a predatory lesbian grow tiresome after a few beats. The film really finds its own sparkle in scenes involving Maddie’s home life, as her relationship with Jake and her estrangement from her mother convey a deeper, more nuanced portrayal of loving someone who is suffering in silence.
Eventually, Maddie’s self-imposed pressure to impress The Boar producers overcomes, resulting in her relapse into her bulimia. Still, she chooses to hide this from Jake and her coworkers until she wins the consulting job. On the night that the producers come to her home for a meal, Maddie’s symptoms reach a fever-pitch, and she collapses in the bathroom from forcing herself to vomit.
Maddie’s Secret may look and sound like an afterschool special parody on the surface, and the script is chock-full of throwaway one-liners poking fun at the industrial food influencer complex. However, this is a film that co-opts its comedy to tackle subject matter that we often deem “too dark” to narrativize or even acknowledge. For a male-identifying comedian making a film primarily about women’s issues, it is surprisingly earnest in its depiction of bulimia, body dysmorphia, and other image-related mental health disorders plaguing teenagers and young adults.
Once Maddie enters treatment, the film slightly stumbles with how far it goes to remind us that we can laugh about eating disorders. The cast of characters in this clinic could certainly warrant a movie of their own (think of a John Waters version of Girl, Interrupted), but the scenes sadly slow down the momentum of the film’s first half with subplots that don’t contain much buy-in for us. A surprise cameo from Vanessa Bayer as Maddie’s rehab roommate certainly resurrects the film and includes the most sobering reality about addiction, but the divisive finale makes audiences question whether this film drives its message home.
With Magnolia Pictures slating the film for a June theatrical release, it will hit the Pride month stride into cultural conversation (hopefully for the better). Early knows how to make a splash on his home turf here in NYC, but can his directorial debut push him into the national spotlight? He may be one of comedy’s best-kept secrets, but everyone will be talking about Maddie’s Secret.
Review Courtesy of Kyle Saavedra
Feature Image Credit to Magnolia Pictures