Supernatural horror Saccharine and melodramatic comedy Maddie's Secret are the latest Hollywood films to tackle body-image anxieties, using distinct genres to explore the punishing toll of disordered eating. Saccharine follows medical student Hana Hitching (Midori Francis), who takes an illicit supplement made from human ash to lose weight, only to be stalked by the ghost of the cremated woman. Maddie's Secret stars John Early as food influencer Maddie Ralph, who relapses into bulimia under work pressure, leading to hospitalization.
Supernatural Horror Meets Diet Culture
In Saccharine, Hana's body-image issues are longstanding, revealed by diet books stashed in her drawer. The quick fix of human-ash pills triggers audio hallucinations and a ghostly presence that forces her to binge. A formerly overweight friend who took the same pills says, "It's kind of worth it, right?" encapsulating diet culture's cruel motto. The entity grows violent as Hana binges, leading to drastic weight loss and denial. Director Natalie Erika James, known for Relic and Apartment 7A, portrays a loss of control over the body.
Melodramatic Comedy of Relapse
Maddie's Secret depicts disordered eating viscerally, with Maddie hospitalized for cardiac arrest and gastrointestinal perforation. Her dormant bulimia resurfaces due to work pressures, trapping her in bingeing and purging. The loss of a friend under similar circumstances breaks through her denial. John Early, who also wrote and directed, told IndieWire the film was inspired by "sinister and very sexual" food content recommended by algorithms. Ozempic is namedropped, and in an inpatient treatment center, patients' phones are confiscated to prevent exposure to triggering content like mukbang videos.
Modern Triggers and Inherited Trauma
Both films channel age-old anxieties fueled by modern mechanisms. Saccharine's Hana tries the online potato masher challenge, reminiscent of the viral TikTok sunglasses challenge. Her slender mother fits the "almond mom" stereotype, imposing restrictive eating habits. The misshapen birthday cake Hana's mother bakes is sugar-free, butter-free, and flourless. In Maddie's Secret, Maddie's mother's stinging jabs trigger her relapse, and she internalizes putdowns from childhood.
Broader Context of Body Horror
These films follow 2024's wave of body horror like The Substance and Shell, where female actors undergo traumatic transformations. Period films like Uglies and The Ugly Stepsister also explore bodily imperfections, with the latter featuring a tapeworm as a weight-loss remedy. Maternal figures in Saccharine and Maddie's Secret saddle protagonists with inherited trauma, fueling unhealthy relationships with food.
Impact and Empathy
Hana's cravings reflect a need for validation; she suspects she is finally the size her mother always wished. Maddie has a supportive husband but relapses due to learned patterns. Bodies are scrutinized outside the family: Hana's classmates mock a cadaver, and cruel online comments accompany Maddie's virality. Even well-intentioned compliments feel barbed, as when a new hire calls Maddie's body "actually healthy." Maddie's Secret radiates empathy, offering acceptance, while Saccharine risks othering by turning an obese woman into a monstrous figure.
