I Swear review: Understanding goes a long way

Before an illness is widely known, it is frequently misunderstood. This is especially true of mental illnesses. For decades, women were diagnosed with a catch-all ailment labelled “hysteria” and schizophrenics were thought to be possessed. Young people are often accused of seeking attention through their behaviour, even when all the attention they receive is negative. Thus, it’s left to the afflicted to educate people until there’s a wider understanding of occasionally very public symptoms. In I Swear, a young man with Tourette syndrome encounters many roadblocks in his quest to live a normal life.

At 14, John (Scott Ellis Watson) develops a physical tic and begins shouting things uncontrollably. These confusing outbursts frighten him and upset everyone around him. As his classroom and dinner table disruptions increase in severity, so does the punishment, ridicule and embarrassment. They eventually diagnose him and try to treat his condition with medication at his mother’s (Shirley Henderson) insistence. But in his 20s, a chance run-in with a former classmate changes John’s (Robert Aramayo) life. Dottie (Maxine Peake) is a mental health nurse who decides to help John understand his condition and learn to live with it. With her support, he grows to be independent, hold a job and teach people about Tourette’s.

The film is based on the real life of John Davidson. It could have just as easily been a documentary, recounting Davidson’s life. Instead, the biopic follows John over several decades, depicting the moments and milestones that changed his life. It begins in the 1990s with his first tics and the upset they caused when he couldn’t stop. Meeting Dottie is a gamechanger. Her family is the first to tell John he doesn’t need to apologize for who he is. He eventually meets more people like that and one encourages John to make the world easier for people like himself by raising awareness.

The are two clear narrative themes: tolerance and understanding. But it promotes those ideas through a story that is both entertaining and educational. Those who get to know John don’t allow his tics to stand in the way of their friendships. On the other hand, he provides informational sessions to those who may encounter someone with Tourette’s through their job, which also teaches the viewers listening in on his talks.

A sentiment that was often repeated following the BAFTA incident in which Davidson ticced a racial slur during the ceremony is also articulated in this film: there’s no malice or intent to hurt behind a tic. The narrative repeatedly shows how difficult it can be to explain that to strangers after an unprovoked insult. In some cases, it gets John arrested and in others put in the hospital. Yet, that is one of the key takeaways.

Casting extras with Tourette’s further demonstrates the picture’s commitment to depicting the medical condition authentically. Consequently, the film effectively portrays the many complexities of living with Tourette syndrome. John talks about feeling constant anxiety when he’s in public, which is justifiable based on the handful of negative exchanges seen on the screen. Moreover, seemingly simple tasks, like doing groceries or cooking a meal, are challenging because tics can result in unwanted confrontations or sticking your hand on a burner.

Crucially, Aramayo plays John very convincingly. He clearly spent a lot of time with the character’s real-life inspiration. He not only adopts his tics and mannerisms, but demonstrates more than a superficial comprehension of his thoughts and feelings. Whether John is feeling guilty for burdening his mom, self-conscious when meeting new people or relaxed with Dottie at his side, Aramayo grasps the emotions beneath the physical demands.

Audiences engage with John on every step of his journey, feeling his discomfort as well as his joy. It’s inspiring without really trying, which is best kind of feel-good story.

Director: Kirk Jones
Starring: Robert Aramayo, Maxine Peake and Shirley Henderson