I Swear

I suppose there are bound to be some questions about whether or not this is acting or mimicry, but there’s no denying that the performance here from Robert Aramayo is truly engaging to watch. John Davidson is a confident and friendly young man from Galashiels in the Scottish Borders who might have a promising goalkeeping career looming until, at the age of 14, he develops an involuntary tic. This is swiftly followed by uncontrollable swearing and spontaneously violent gestures. His parents, whose marriage is already straining, and his teachers think he’s playing up and his school friends…

They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, because you just might be surprised by what’s inside. The same, of course, can be said for people, and that’s especially true when it comes to individuals with the rare and unusual condition known as Tourette Syndrome. And that’s precisely the point driven home by this excellent new fact-based comedy-drama from writer-director Kirk Jones. For those unfamiliar with Tourette, it’s a condition in which those affected exhibit potentially offensive and/or violent behavior unexpectedly in the midst of what seems like otherwise-“normal” activity.…

As a biographical disability drama, writer-director Kirk Jones' I SWEAR joins the pantheon of cinematic gems that celebrate triumph over adversity. Films like **MY LEFT FOOT**, **SHINE**, **THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING**, and **A BEAUTIFUL MIND** may follow a familiar narrative\*\*, but in a cynical and darkening time, they continue to offer something vital: hope.\*\* **I SWEAR** tells the true story of John Davidson (the younger played by Scott Ellis Watson, the older by Robert Aramayo), growing up in Galashiels, Scotland, in a middle-class family. While attending the local primary school, John…