Comedian Dons Drag to Satirize Influencer Culture and Eating Disorders

In the unconventional yet moving grief drama "Maddie's Secret," comedian John Early stars as Maddie "the Fattie" Ralph, a guileless vegetarian chef whose overnight viral-video success triggers her long-suppressed eating disorder. The film, which premiered 3 days ago, is a uniquely tacky critique of influencer culture crossed with a sincere homage to the heyday of disease-of-the-week TV movies.

Like John Waters' muse Divine, Early dons a blonde wig and falsies to embody his film's titular ingenue, a food-passionate protagonist whose fragile reality is at the center of the story. Early adopts the gauzy, soft-light look of "tasteful" 80s telepics, delivering an ironic send-up of those over-earnest issue movies. The cast, comprised mostly of comedians, is "acting in air quotes," delivering the most awards-hungry version of every line reading.

As Maddie's star rises, so too does her anxiety, and the next thing we know, she's sneaking away to the bathroom to regurgitate her food. The film then recalls recent dramas like "To the Bone" and "Parachute," as Maddie is forced to confront her eating disorder and seek treatment. Ultimately, "Maddie's Secret" is a biting critique of influencer life, blurring gender lines and exploring themes of body image, harassment, and toxic work environments.