I Swear follows the true story of Tourette Syndrome campaigner John Davidson's journey with Tourette's through his troubled teens and early adulthood, having been diagnosed at 15 years old in 1980s Britain - a time when the condition was little known and entirely misunderstood. Initially alienated from his peers and his family, Davidson perseveres in his attempt to live a 'normal' life against the odds, finding some unlikely champions along the way.
The Garden Cinema View:
I Swear is a deeply empathetic and humorous portrait of a Tourette's Syndrome awareness advocate (John Davidson) that offers a modern understanding of a complex condition - one that has traditionally been subject to ostracisation and abuse.
At the heart of the film is a stunning performance by Rings of Power star Robert Aramayo, who dives deep into the lonely isolation, utter grit, and humour of his character. Aramayo delivers a remarkable arc, transforming from a confident, athletically talented teenager to a broken and isolated young adult fighting against his own body - until he realises that what truly matters is society's education. Surrounding Aramayo is the heavy artillery of UK actors at their finest: Shirley Henderson as the reluctantly loving and bitter mother, Maxine Peake as ‘good fairy’, and Peter Mullan as a deeply empathetic employer.
The film rides the line between humour and tragedy, addressing the urgent need for education and exposing what the lack of it has done to generations of disabled people - all while remaining a crowd-pleaser.
