Before streaming, the made-for-television movie was a major form of home entertainment. Unlike direct-to-video films, TV movies were events all on their own without red carpets and splashy premieres. These were movies that viewers had to catch as they aired; if you missed them or forgot to record them, you would have to wait patiently for the network to play it again. Commercials for these movies would air between shows — often starring our favorite TV actors — and viewers would have to make a plan to watch them. Or maybe they wouldn’t hear about the films at all, instead stumbling upon them while flipping through channels or scanning the TV guide. Any night of the week one could find several TV movies telling the kind of intimate, adult stories that have become increasingly rare on the big screen. 

Sometimes the stories were ripped from the headlines, capitalizing on media frenzy. But in most cases, especially from the late 80s well into the 00s, TV movies about women dealing with gendered issues were in high demand. In many ways, these films became the modern day women’s pictures, tackling common themes of marital problems, romantic woes, sexual trauma and body image. In this genre, the Lifetime channel reigned supreme, airing a mix of acquired TV movies from other networks and a never-ending catalogue of original films starring actresses like Meredith Baxter, Tori Spelling, Judith Light, Delta Burke and other prominent TV actresses from their respective eras.

John Early’s goofy yet poignant directorial debut Maddie’s Secret is like a Lifetime movie made by Comedy Central, marrying a dramatic premise with playfully absurd twists. Early plays Maddie Ralph, a dishwasher for a trendy food content creation company à la Bon Appétit. Maddie is a great vegetarian chef, but has always been too shy to cook in front of an audience. She prefers to cook at home for her husband Jake (Eric Rahill) or with her coworker and best friend Deena (Kate Berlant). But when Jake posts a video of Maddie cooking online, it goes viral and Maddie’s boss Zach (Conner O’Malley) promotes her to onscreen talent. 

But while Maddie enjoys her newfound success, the added attention and pressure start to take a toll on her. We soon learn that Maddie has a history of bulimia, and the stress of her burgeoning fame has brought her issues with food back up again. Maddie hides her binging and purging from Deena and Jake, lying about being pregnant to distract her husband from what’s really going on. Jake, so excited by the prospect of a child, embraces the lie whole-heartedly. Deena remains suspicious, but her barely hidden crush on Maddie and jealousy toward Jake prevents her from seeing the truth. Complicating matters is Emily (Claudia O’Doherty), a jealous coworker who resents Maddie for stealing the spotlight. 

Early plays Maddie with honesty and humor, throwing himself fully into the role. The key to his performance is empathy — Early resists mocking Maddie or her struggles at every turn. He fully embodies the character, with a lived-in performance that reveals an understanding of womanhood and its inherent struggles. Maddie is talented, warm, funny and kind but also anxious, plagued with low self-esteem cultivated by a traumatic childhood.

Writing, directing and starring in Maddie’s Secret is an impressive balancing act from Early, who displays a sharp understanding of what moments in Maddie’s life are most suited for comedy. The world Maddie lives in is populated by eccentric characters who wear their respective fixations on their sleeve. Deena is preoccupied by her romantic designs on Maddie and general horniness. Jake is the prototypical masculine husband, constantly working out and pressuring Maddie to start a family. And when things get too much for Maddie and she checks herself into treatment for her eating disorder, every woman she encounters at the hospital is preoccupied with their body in a compulsive, all-consuming way. And it all feels true to life, despite the surface goofiness.

Packed with visual gags and a cast of gifted comedic actors, Maddie’s Secret straddles the line between comedy and melodrama, creating a wholly unique cinematic experience. Early’s script pulls from TV movies like Kate’s Secret and Perfect Body, while also referencing classic cinema like Suddenly, Last Summer and The Children’s Hour. Cinematographer Max Lakner adopts a Sirkian visual style with vibrant colors and thoughtfully designed interiors — Maddie’s house looks especially gorgeous, with dark glowing light and shadows that add texture and depth to each frame.

Every aspect of Maddie’s Secret is indeed made with love, showing reverence for the stylistic flourishes that made TV movies so memorable. The choreography by Danielle Polanco in the scenes where Maddie takes a dance class at the gym are especially fun, with Early showcasing his gift for physical comedy. It feels strange to say that a film about a woman struggling with bulimia is a good time, but Early and his talented cast miraculously pull it off.