Maddie's Secret

Play trailer

1:48

Maddie's Secret

Jun 2026

1h 38m

Comedy

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

87%

Tomatometer

82 Reviews

67%

Popcornmeter

50+ Ratings

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.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

Equal parts exuberant crowd-pleaser and intimate passion project, Maddie's Secret embraces melodrama without irony, finding emotional depth in its vibrant style and unwavering commitment to its singular vision.

Read Critics Reviews

Peter Rainer

FilmWeek (LAist)

4d

It doesn't satirize any of this stuff, and that's what's ultimately special about it. And John Early is a terrific physical comic.

Go to Full Review

Coleman Spilde

Salon.com

Jul 16

Like all great art does in one way or another, Maddie’s Secret leads with its heart to create something unexpected and necessary, finding the point where humor and tragedy graze each other in passing, making a home there.

Go to Full Review

Kimber Myers

Crooked Marquee

Jul 11

B+

Maddie’s Secret is a perfectly pitched satire that targets both the Lifetime films of the ‘80s and ‘90s and contemporary influencer culture while simultaneously being an effective exercise in empathy for its heroine ...

Go to Full Review

Sammie Purcell

Rough Draft Atlanta

5d

...while I think you’d be forgiven for filing it away in the Lifetime parody bucket while watching its first few minutes, it quickly becomes apparent that "Maddie’s Secret" takes itself incredibly seriously, without a false note or wink at the camera.

Go to Full Review

Dennis Harvey

48 Hills

Jul 15

It’s always watchable, with an admirable level of narrative ambition, and vivid performances from a cast of mostly comedic talents.

Go to Full Review

Dino-Ray Ramos

DIASPORA

Jul 15

3.5/5

Kate’s Secret walked so Maddie’s Secret could run.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Anita M

Jul 9

I did not like watching a man playing a woman. I believe homosexuality is a sin. There was a lot of it in this movie. I did not like how the mother had a cross around her neck and she was portrayed as a villain.

See more

Eric

Jul 4

As several reviewers said, you have to suspend disbelief that the lead actor is not a woman. I think that took away from it. But it has good elements to it and overall is worth watching.

See more

CRS

Jul 3

Interesting movie but not sure why the lead female role was played by a man? It’s fine, but I thought maybe the ending would reveal some sort of reason for it… because it seemed intentional to me. (Or maybe the actor just happens to be transgender? But, again, it felt like that role was very intentional.) So in that sense, the ending didn’t match my expectations and was a little underwhelming. I just thought there’d be some point to it. Maybe there is, but I’m just missing it. (I’m writing this before doing any research on the film - I had no expectations going into it.) The lead character was charming and it was overall an entertaining movie and believable.

See more

LeeLeap

Jul 1

Incredible. Unique. Hilarious. Touching. A gem of a film in an ocean of unremarkable movies.

See more

Greg A

@GregA165 13h

Embarrassingly juvenile vanity project based on an old TV-movie. The satire does not work, the drama does not work, in fact nothing works in this mess. How this got made, and with a lot of talent (at least in front of the camera) boggles the mind. If you want something campy fun, this aint it!

See more

Yoni G

@RT67618631 1d

Great movie, funny and touching. John early is great as always.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

John Early

Director

John Early

Maddie Ralph

Kip Reynolds

Juggler

Neil Wachs

Homeless Man

Kate Berlant

Deena

Claudia O'Doherty

Emily

Maddie's Secret: Exclusive Movie Clip - Gourmaybe

0:56

View more videos

If That Mockingbird Don't Sing

%

%

If That Mockingbird Don't Sing

Watchlist

Is This Thing On?

87%

82%

Is This Thing On?

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Is This Thing On?

Bob Trevino Likes It

95%

98%

Bob Trevino Likes It

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Bob Trevino Likes It

She Dances

90%

%

She Dances

Watchlist

TRAILER

for She Dances

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.

99%

94%

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Maddie's Secret: Trailer 1

1:48

View more videos

View more photos

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.

Director: John Early
Producer: Harris Mayersohn, John Early, Luca Intili
Screenwriter: John Early
Distributor: Magnolia Pictures
Production Co: Dogma 3000, Unapologetic Projects, Dweck Productions, Whetstone Pictures, Radish Films
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 19, 2026, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Jul 31, 2026
Runtime: 1h 38m