Director: Kirk Jones
Writer: Kirk Jones
Stars: Robert Aramayo, Peter Mullan, Maxine Peake
Synopsis: John Davidson: diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome at a young age which alienated him from his peers, he struggled with a condition few people had witnessed.
The subgenre of the inspirational biopic is littered with well-meaning directors and actors attempting to educate while entertaining. This is a particularly difficult needle to thread as, with time passing, audiences have become hyper-aware of when they are being preached to about any number of subjects. Although they may have been positively received upon release, films like The Pursuit of Happyness and The Blindside are now looked at with derision, and for good reason. These films metaphorically hold the hand of the audience, telling them what to think and how to react. Now, even if most inspirational stories have this issue, it does not mean that all must. I Swear, a film about a man with Tourette Syndrome attempts to be equal parts uplifting, funny, and heart wrenching, and manages to succeed, to varying levels, at all three.
John Davidson (played as an adult by Robert Aramayo), is now quite well known as a Tourettes activist, and has even been given the title of Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his tireless work in normalizing and educating about the disorder that he has lived with. And smartly, I Swear begins just before the awarding by The Queen. This opening scene accomplishes a lot in a short amount of time. The audience is both let in on Davidson’s success and shown that said success does not solve everything. Additionally, it introduces us to Aramayo, who gives a dedicated, genuine, multi-layered performance. His willingness to engage with the tics, slurs, and movement, along with a real human experience is reason enough to watch I Swear.
As I Swear moves many years into the past, it performs a very special trick of context, provided by writer/director Kirk Jones. As Tourettes, especially the type that causes a person to hurl insults and slurs (echolalia), never allows the outside world to see the beginnings of the disorder, there is a distinct lack of understanding, and even fear. In this case, a young Davidson (Scott Ellis Watson) shows the beginning warning signs, just as he is about to attempt to impress some soccer scouts as a goaltender. It is the first in a series of times that life was made difficult for John, through no fault of his own. This continues throughout his childhood, especially from his parents. After his father (Steven Cree) leaves the home, his mother, Heather (Shirley Henderson), has a deeply difficult time with his constant spitting and cussing, and who wouldn’t? Given the misunderstanding of Tourettes even now, it is not hard to imagine that it was no better in the 1980s. But this, in general, is the minor issue with the film. Besides John, and one other character, most of the people shown here are caricatures, which only serve to show us either wholly positive or wholly negative reactions to the disorder. This makes the film wildly effective, but also lacking in a real supposed lived experience. Movies like these tend to take emotional shortcuts, and it can make an educated audience yearn for the shades of grey.
Luckily, as an adult, John is introduced to the mother of his friend, Chris. Dottie Achenbach (Maxine Peake) is nearly a literal angel, especially in comparison to the way he has been treated by his mother. As John is called in for a meal, his Tourettes (and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) symptoms begin to spike in his introduction to the Achenbach family. Through breaking mirrors, cursing, and destroying plates, she refuses to allow him to apologize, as it is not under his control. This is, of course, the platonic ideal of how to help someone with Tourettes, especially one who has been battered by the world. Aramayo and Peake have an immediate chemistry and this maternal replacement is all good nature and needed assistance. Aramayo truly shines in these moments, not just through his incredible physicality, but also his expressive eyes, deep pools that show us both the pain he has felt and the relief of having someone who accepts him, disorder and all.
She even connects him with a possible employment opportunity, something that John has always wanted, but long ago given up on. As he is introduced to Tommy Trotter (Peter Mullan) a caretaker for a local community center, I Swear becomes a much better movie than expected. Tommy is the first person in the film that is both understanding and has boundaries. There are things that he won’t accept, even if it is explained via a disorder. Aramayo and Mullan could have easily made an entire buddy comedy based on this portion of the story and no one would have tired of it. And throughout all of this back-and-forth, the humor of the film is unlocked. As Tommy quickly learns, both John’s physical movements and vocal tics can provide a soul of comedy.
I Swear sets itself apart from other films of its ilk by showing that one person alone cannot solve all of the problems of a disorder like this. More importantly, the film posits that the disorder is not the issue, but the lack of education. Aramayo is wonderful throughout, but really comes into his own when John Davidson begins to educate the public and bring in others with Tourettes so they can form a community. One can not only see the impact on others, but through his measured performance, there is a new lightness to John. This is not an easy thing to impart, but Aramayo makes it look so simple as to be natural. It is truly a masterclass in performance, without ever feeling like you can see him putting on said performance. Given the physicality he must engage in, it is impossible to overstate the level of difficulty involved.
I Swear has an extremely difficult task, given its attempts at being many types of film. And besides the use of all-or-nothing characterizations of the adults in John’s life, it manages all of them. I Swear is heartfelt, funny, educational, and entertaining. For the understanding of a difficult diagnosis, there is no better treatment than watching this film. I Swear is approachable, enjoyable, and buoys your spirits. If John Davidson can keep this positivity, then we, as a culture, owe him and others who struggle with Tourettes our best effort and understanding.
