I Swear – REVIEW

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A few years ago, there were reports that someone on Meghan and Harry’s team was intentionally using offensive language towards them, claiming to have Tourette’s Syndrome as a defense. Despite this claim, they were fired, and remarkably, their symptoms disappeared immediately after leaving the job. The film ‘I Swear‘ begins with a similar scenario: John Davidson (played by Robert Aramayo) is about to receive an honor from Queen Elizabeth when he unexpectedly shouts an insult towards her – a moment destined to become a viral meme, particularly appreciated by Meghan Markle. The film then flashes back to 1983, showing John as a schoolboy who hasn’t yet developed Tourette’s Syndrome and, like most people at the time, isn’t even familiar with the condition.

John lives a typical life with his parents and three siblings. He’s a promising young goalkeeper, good enough to attract attention from a talent scout. However, he’s also developing a strange condition: he uncontrollably blurts out swear words at the worst possible times. This leads to frequent trips to the headmaster’s office for punishment, and his mother, Shirley Henderson, makes him eat his meals by the fireplace instead of at the table because of his habit of spitting.

His football career is over, and he’s facing tough times – his parents are divorced, and his friends are pulling away. Only one friend offers support, inviting him to dinner with his family. There, he meets Dottie (Maxine Peake), the friend’s mother, a former psychiatric nurse now battling terminal cancer. Dottie sees past his struggles and welcomes him into their home, and he quickly becomes part of the family. This newfound stability allows him to find work as a caretaker’s assistant, Tommy (Peter Mullan), and his natural ability to connect with others leads him to become a counselor, eventually earning him an MBE – as seen in the very beginning of the story.

“I Swear” beautifully blends strong performances, with Aramayo portraying John as a fully realized person, not just defined by his Tourette’s syndrome. He’s well-supported by the consistently impressive Mullan and Peake. Director and writer Kirk Jones, known for feel-good films, has crafted a script with moments that are both shocking and hilarious, often simultaneously – there’s a particularly memorable scene where John is counseling another person with Tourette’s, and their conversation unexpectedly turns into a shouting match. However, these moments are balanced by genuinely touching scenes. The film also features a fantastic soundtrack of music from the era, including songs by Paul Weller, Supergrass, Portishead, Oasis, and Primal Scream, which perfectly complements the story.

“I Swear” is a promising British film with the potential to be a big success, and it’s well worth watching – it’s a genuinely positive and inspiring story.

Here’s the I Swear trailer……

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2025-10-10 02:24