I like stories and films about unusual people or circumstances. Getting the opportunity to watch this film about a very misunderstood condition of Tourette’s intrigued me. I was also interested in learning more about John Davidson. At the end of this film, not only did I understand a lot more about a condition I didn’t have much knowledge of but I was also blown away by the emotional story and the phenomenal performance of Robert Aramayo.
I Swear is a British biographical drama film directed, written and produced by Kirk Jones. It focuses on the true life story of John Davidson (Robert Aramayo), a Scottish man with severe Tourette’s syndrome, exploring his teen years where the condition develops, his struggles in school with individuals who believe he’s making up his issues, through to his adult years where he lives with his mother Heather (Shirley Henderson) and is heavily medicated on haloperidol. John meets a friend, Murray’s mother Dottie (Maxine Peake), a mental health nurse, who has been diagnosed with liver cancer. Dottie takes John under her guidance, helping him navigate the world, get a job, a place to live and eventually encourage him to speak out for others with his condition. John becomes an advocate, raising awareness in his community about Tourette’s syndrome, eventually being rewarded for his service by the Queen of England. The film also stars Peter Mullan as Tommy, John’s mentor.
What makes this film so dramatic is the reality of the world John lives in. When John was first experiencing Tourette’s syndrome in the eighties, not much was known about the condition nor were people willing to accept that an individual had such a lack of control. The issues that John faces, the lack of awareness and understanding was very real for the time. The film does such an excellent job of portraying just how difficult the tics and swearing impact his life and how medication wasn’t even helpful because it didn’t control either the tics or the swearing. And when stress occurs, as it often will due to the anxiety of interacting with the public, it makes the issues worse for those with Tourette’s. I appreciated how much this was demonstrated during the film through the acting and the 
behavior of others around the character/person of John.
The film also lightens up some of the struggles John faces, allowing John to be a real person with a real sense of humor and ability to explain his condition to others. Once he is off the medications that aren’t helping him and has true support, John’s heart and humor come out. The authenticity of what he faces but also the ways he copes and learns how to help others makes the film beautiful and emotional.
The performances are what highlight this film. Robert Aramayo is phenomenal as John, portraying the character as real, human, and not just as his condition but as a real person who might struggle but also cares about others and even when he makes mistakes, figures out a way forward. Maxine Peake as Dottie is fantastic, funny, smart and a powerful presence in this movie. She portrays Dottie with a loving heart and a wonderful support for John. The humor and lightness she brings to the role helps make the film a beautiful blend of humorous and emotional. Shirley Henderson as Heather is both impactful as John’s mother but also almost heartbreaking to see her struggle with how to support her son. Shirley does a wonderful job of making the character of Heather sympathetic despite her difficulty in knowing how to help John. Peter Mullan is delightful as well.
I can say this film makes an impact. Not only will it educate people about Tourette’s syndrome and the wonderful advocate of John Davidson, it is also an emotional dramatic story. If you like dramas based on real people, like to learn about influential individuals, I really recommend this movie. Not only was it enlightening but the phenomenal performance of Robert Aramayo will bring you to the heights of emotion, both tears and laughter. He embraces the role and the solid cast around him do the same. This is a powerful story that I enjoyed immensely.
Rating: 5 out of 5 curse words
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