“Maddie’s Secret” is the feature length directorial debut of comedian John Early (Search Party, DC League of Super Pets), who also wrote the film himself, and stars as its title character. The cast also includes Kate Berlant (The Moment, A League of Their Own), Eric Rahill (The Paper, Let’s Start a Cult), Kristen Johnston (3rd Rock from the Sun, The Exes), Claudia O’Doherty (Love, Killing It), Conner O’Malley (I Saw the TV Glow, Rap World), Vanessa Bayer (Saturday Night Live, I Love That for You), and Chris Bauer (The Deuce, The Wire). This film is about a woman who is struggling with bulimia while also trying deal with her friendships, her past, and online fame due to her presence on a cooking program.

It is only appropriate that “Maddie’s Secret” goes by its particular title, because the film itself feels like a secret. Upon its release more than a month ago, “Maddie’s Secret” happened to only play in select locations, including the Boston area. As the movie happened to be playing near me, I thought I would check it out. After all, I have heard decent things about it, and I had no interest in seeing the new “Minions” movie.

“Maddie’s Secret” is no longer just a secret, it is a hidden gem. This movie rocks. If someone were to describe “Maddie’s Secret” to me on the spot and I had no idea what it was, part of me would assume that this film is not for me. Heck, even the name sounds like a straight to DVD title found in the middle of Walmart or a trashy Lifetime original. Do not judge this book by its cover.

This film stars John Early. When I was watching the opening credits, I was a tad confused, as I thought this film was about a woman, and yet a man is playing the lead. Turns out both of those things are true. Having watched enough “Saturday Night Live,” I cannot say that this is the first time I have seen someone playing a character of an identity that is different than their own. I am surprised to say Early shines as the lead. He does a fantastic job tapping into the character’s emotions, struggles, and occasional excitement. It is not to say the performance is going to win an Oscar, but I was shocked with how much I bought into it. Given the film’s particular lead and tone, I was especially delighted to notice how seriously it takes bulimia. Maybe such a sentiment is not as valid as can be, because, again, I do not have bulimia, nor do I know anyone in my life who does. Not that it is any of my business if I did know someone who secretly had it. But I would love to know what people who have bulimia would think of this film. From a dramatic point of view, this film excellently handles Maddie as she struggles with her eating disorder in more ways than one. This is true when talking about the effects of the disorder itself, her interacting with important characters along the way, and seeing her closest relationships develop, I would love to know how many people would relate to this character or see themselves in this character.

Tone-wise, part of me can imagine an alternate reality where this particular movie would fall apart like a house of cards. I did not see any trailers prior to watching “Maddie’s Secret,” so I was not entirely sure what to expect from this film, but it finds a fine line between comedy and drama. It is never laugh out loud funny, but it is often capable of delivering a chuckle. At other points, it is deeply moving and powerful. “Maddie’s Secret” finds a unique balance in its material, sort of like “Everything Everywhere All at Once” did several years back.

On the surface, this movie seems like it is about someone who finds a passion in cooking and uses it to better her life. To a certain degree, that is true. But as Maddie’s success is on the rise, she is also dealing with a home life that is maybe not all it is cracked to be. She has familial problems lingering in the background. Not to mention, she has bulimia, which is probably one of the most interesting sells one can have when pitching a movie like this. For the record, I have, to my surprise, not heard of the term bulimia nervosa prior to watching this movie. If anything, I am glad I watched “Maddie’s Secret” simply because it put a spotlight on the concept.

Speaking of characters I admire, another one in this film is Julie, played diligently by Vanessa Bayer. From scene one, she has a massive pinch of enthusiasm and often maintains a youthful spirit. She comes into the film at an integral point in Maddie’s journey, where things are not particularly going as great as they could be. Despite the movie getting serious at this point, Julie’s presence calmed the vibe down in a sense. Julie is a character that I could see certain viewers finding annoying, but that is not the case for yours truly.

This movie is a bit down to earth on its more dramatic moments, but tends to sometimes jump the shark in its more comedic scenes. The biggest example that comes to mind is when Maddie initially finds success on social media. Not that I have any problem with how the movie presented her success, but shortly after, she has a meeting with her boss, who tells Maddie that she breached her contract with the company. So, instead of being fired, Maddie becomes an on-camera personality within said company. Debatably, the movie jumps the shark just enough in this scene, if the company sees money, then why not follow it?

To my surprise, this film is also one of the more gorgeous-looking ones I have seen recently. For starters, some of the lighting really pops. There is one intimate scene in particular that is neatly colored. Also, this may be a tad unexpected to say because this project deals with an eating disorder, but with the story centering itself around food, it is not always easy to keep your mouth from watering, except for the occasional over the top, gross scene. This movie does not quite get as gross as say “The Substance,” but there are select visuals that are slightly off-putting. Even with a moment or two that made me want to look away, I could not keep my eyes off of “Maddie’s Secret.”

In the end, “Maddie’s Secret” is an engaging movie that delivers a one of a kind vision from John Early. While none of performances in “Maddie’s Secret” are going to win any major awards, each one fits perfectly within the context of the project. The dialogue is also often perfectly timed and realized. There is a perfect pace to many of the film’s lines. I have no idea if this is a film that is going to have any replay value down the line, but I do think it is worth watching at least once. “Maddie’s Secret” is, if nothing else, a totally unique dramedy, and I am going to give it a 7/10.

“Maddie’s Secret” is now available to rent or buy on VOD.

Thanks for reading this review! Also, be sure to check out my latest episode of Movie Requests! It is an original video series where I ask your favorite stars what movies they think I should talk about! In this episode, I review Elijah Wood’s request, “Festen,” aka “The Celebration!” If you want to watch the episode, click the video above! Also, be sure to like the video on YouTube and subscribe to my channel if you want to see new episodes of Movie Requests as soon as they drop!

My next review is going to be for “Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass.” Stay tuned! Also, coming soon, I will be sharing my thoughts on “The Odyssey,” “Her Private Hell,” “Haunted Heist,” “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” “I Want Your Sex,” and “The Invite.” If you want to see these reviews and more from Scene Before, follow the blog either with an email or WordPress account! Also, check out the official Facebook page! I want to know, did you see “Maddie’s Secret?” What did you think about it? Or, what is your favorite movie revolving around food? One recommendation that comes to mind is “Chef.” It is a fantastic story with clever writing, good performances, and it makes you hungry. It is excellent. Check it out! Scene Before is your click to the flicks!