Maddie's Secret

"John Early’s directorial debut is a sincere and surprising comedic triumph."

— Mark Asch, Little White Lies

"A playful love letter to late-night melodramas exploring the depths of girlhood."

— Hayley Croke, Loud and Clear Reviews

"Refreshingly gracious, Early’s management of humanity in ‘Maddie’s Secret’ is the heart of this film."

— Peyton Robinson, RogerEbert.com

"It is an extremely accomplished debut and one of the boldest American movies I have seen in years."

— Sam Bodrojan, IndieWire

"Maddie’s Secret is one of the most auspicious debuts by a comedian-turned-filmmaker in recent memory."

— Sean Boelman, FandomWire · Jun 15

"Early nails every mark in his impossibly wide purview, crafting one of the more beautiful movies of the year."

— Christian Craig, In Review Online

"Nothing stays hidden for too long in “Maddie’s Secret,” including the fact that Early seems simply born to be a star."

— Stephen Saito, Moveable Fest

"John Early's directorial debut is nothing short of brilliant, with Maddie's Secret walking a delicate tightrope of comedy and drama."

— Graeme Guttmann, Screen Rant

"Early’s feature debut is a refreshing send-up of TV and movie tropes that embraces sentimentality with a cheeky sense of humor."

— Monica Castillo, AV Club

"Maddie’s Secret goes beyond satire by lovingly embracing the concept that gay men love women. This is a film about female adoration full stop."

— Joey Moser, The Contending

"John Early's unique sensibility bursts onto the big screen with huge laughs in this loving recreation of '80s-'90s Lifetime movies that's just as heartfelt as it is hilarious."

— Dan Bayer, Next Best Picture

"Maddie’s Secret is genuinely touching, largely because it engages very earnestly with melodrama as a genre—like Douglas Sirk–level earnestness—instead of approaching it as parody."

— Joey Shapiro, Chicago Reader

"'Maddie’s Secret’ challenges us that we don’t have to follow the world’s recipe for success; we’re capable and beloved well enough that we can freestyle on our own and still be whole."

— Zachary Lee, RogerEbert.com

"With a recipe blending subversive satire and incisive melodrama, this examination of the extremes of food influencer culture is audacious, yet layered with emotionally grounded poignancy."

— Todd Jorgenson, Cinemalogue

"The film at once lampoons a spectatorship culture that drives creators to madness and cherishes the naïvete of everyday people who want to share their passions with people on the internet."

— Kyle Turner, Slant Magazine

"Brimming with style and spirit up to the final scene, “Maddie’s Secret” is among the most daring movies I’ve seen this year. That it simultaneously guarantees a giddy good time is a minor miracle."

— Natalia Winkelman, New York Times

"While it delivers enough laughs, John Early’s directorial debut ultimately proves far more tender, offering a reminder of what indie cinema can accomplish when it values emotional honesty and creative risks over marketability."

— Emma Fisher, InBetweenDrafts

"A startlingly original, queer friendly hybrid between an issue-of-the-week movie parody and sincere melodrama...Early himself is fabulous in the lead role, a portrayal that is positively sweet in its open-hearted nature and vulnerability."

— Laura Clifford, Reeling Reviews