Inspired by the life of John Davidson, charting his journey from a misunderstood teenager in 1980's Britain to a present day advocate for the understanding and acceptance of Tourette Syndrome. Diag...
WHAT I LIKED: Kirk Jones' 'I Swear,' is a heartwarming, true-story character study about overcoming adversity. But because it's about someone with tourettes syndrome, the adversity in question is the violent veneer of polite society, so the tackling of that makes for a brilliantly cathartic watch.
We first meet the lovely John Davidson (Robert Aramavo) as he nervously prepares for a knighthood, but then we spend the rest of the film seeing how he got there after it cuts back to his childhood when he first develops tourettes. He's initially shunned by his schoolteachers, family and friends for being impolite and disrespectful, and years later, he still finds himself living with his mother (Shirley Henderson) being scolded for his constant ticking. He only starts to find solace when he runs into an old friend, and his Mum Dottie (Maxine Peak) helps him throw his anxiety to the wind and slowly accept himself.
That's a wonderfully touching character arc, but it also crucially demonstrates that accepting people for who they are is far more important than maintaining any kind of precious social order. We see so many examples of despicable discrimination which deeply damage John - from his early days at school, all the way to his violent treatment by Police and members of the public when he's on the way up - and then that's countered by the power of kindness and understanding - from Dottie banning him for apologising when he can't help his ticks, to caretaker Tommy (Peter Mullan) who sees through the tourettes and offers him a job.
The heart and humour with which these characters help John is especially emboldening when they deliberately use his accidental honesty or impoliteness themselves to rebuke the people knocking him down - from Dottie's encounter with his Mum, to Tommy's defence of him in a court case. But with their help, he finds the confidence to live his life and even start education people about tourettes syndrome.
Of course, the piercing of polite situations is fruit for lots of funny moments too, but mostly, the film moves with its vital message and wonderful characterisation.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: It may not be a groundbreaking piece of filmmaking, but for what it is, it's hard to fault.
VERDICT: 'I Swear,' is a wonderful, must-see film about tackling the prejudices of so-called polite society.
