Running Time: 120 Minutes
Certification: 15
Starring: Robert Aramayo, Maxine Peake, Shirley Henderson, Peter Mullan, Scott Ellis Watson
For his latest feature, writer/director Kirk Jones (Nanny McPhee, What to Expect When You're Expecting), crafts a biographical drama based on the true story of John Davidson. For those who do not know, Davidson was diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome from a young age, which lead him to be the subject of numerous British documentaries, and become considered a "nationally known ambassador for the condition."
I Swear initially unfolds in Scotland at 1983, where a 15-year-old John (then played by Scott Ellis Watson) begins high-school at Galashiels Academy who enjoys playing football. What promises to be a happy-go-lucky time takes a drastic turn when John starts uncontrollably shouting obscenities and developing tics. Nobody around him takes this change seriously, with his teachers resorting to utilising the cane while his parents struggle to cope.
As the film flashes to a now-adult John (played by Robert Aramayo), he lives an isolated life that is putting a strain on his mother (Shirley Henderson, delivering a haunted look so exceptionally). When John reconnects with an old school friend, and subsequently meets the friend's mother, Dottie (lovingly played by Maxine Peake), he finally experiences an understanding and warmth that has long eluded him.
Set during a time when Tourette's was barely identifiable, the story depicts John's struggle on the receiving end of others' lacking understanding. Central to that is Robert Aramayo's excellent performance as the person just trying to live his life, tics and all. As Peter Mullan's kindly character says, the issue is not the condition but people's lacking understanding of it. As such, the process to enact real change comes from not being ashamed of yourself while educating the uneducated. The biopic structure may feel familiar, yet that does not detract from how effectively the emotional beats hit.
What is key to that are how deftly the differing tones are handled, allowing viewers to feel the range with grand effectiveness. A nightclub scene allows respite for John as the evening offers promises of escaping his worries, yet it is laden with tension as viewers await somebody unaware of Tourette's to react with aggression. Or the scene when John first meets Dottie, as the shock of what he says transitions into warm understanding. Then there are the laughs, which come easily as viewers sympathise with John while also reacting to the excellent comedic timing.
If film is a great machine to generate empathy, then what Kirk Jones has delivered allows many people the chance to understand and empathise with a condition they may not have been aware of. I Swear may not be reinventing the wheel, but it is hard to deny how smoothly the wheel spins in this emotional and genuinely touching tale. As it releases against high-profile blockbusters, here is hoping this utterly lovely film receives the attention that it very much deserves.
I Swear is available in UK cinemas now
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