Actor and comedian John Early decided to portray a naive character; therefore, he took the initiative to create his own film.
John Early's feature directorial debut, titled Maddie's Secret, made its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on Thursday night. The film, a wild tightrope walk between parody and provocation, has been met with a mix of hysterical laughter and respectful silence from the audience.
Maddie's Secret follows the story of a young woman named Maddie, played by Early himself, who struggles with bulimia. The film is a comedy, with Early aiming for the audience to laugh throughout the movie. However, the comedy and drama in the film are totally integrated, as evidenced by the premiere where people found the sad scenes funny and the funny scenes sad.
Conner O'Malley, an I Think You Should Leave regular and alt-comedy hero, plays Maddie's boorish boss in the film. Kate Berlant, Early's long-time collaborator, plays a threateningly butch lesbian who is obsessed with Maddie.
John Early's inspiration for Maddie's Secret comes from Paul Verhoeven's 1995 cult classic, Showgirls. The film is ultimately deeply sentimental, with the conclusion met with exuberant cheers from the audience.
The TIFF Discovery section, which focuses on looking to the future of cinema, has anointed filmmakers like Christopher Nolan and Barry Jenkins in the past. Maddie's Secret is the opening night film in this section, indicating its significance in the film industry.
During the post-screening Q&A, cast member Emily Allan referred to John Early as "the Douglas Sirk of millennial alt-comedy." Sirk was a German-American film director known for his melodramatic films that explored social and political issues. Early's goal for the audience of Maddie's Secret is for them to laugh so hard they are gasping at the turns and surprises, and then be emotionally available in the second half of the movie.
The audience at the premiere of Maddie's Secret certainly seemed to be living up to Early's expectations, reacting with a mix of hysterical laughter and respectful silence throughout the film. The TIFF Discovery section is a category that showcases films that are looking to shape the future of cinema, and with Maddie's Secret, it seems that Early is well on his way to making a significant impact in the industry.
