Very little is known about Tourette’s Syndrome and the stigma that has followed it. Well, now that is all about to change with possibly the most heartfelt, charming and emotional film of the year, I Swear, based on the real experiences of John Davidson. It is one of those rare films that will both touch your heart and educate you, and it is a must-see for everyone.

John Davidson has everything going for him. Starting a new school, he has a chance to achieve greatness as the school’s goalkeeper. That is, until he starts ticing, and uncontrollable swearing. Without any support or understanding, he is bullied, given the belt by the head teacher, and after failing in goal, his father leaves the family home. Years later, lost and alone, John finds solace with Dottie, a woman who understands him, and so begins a friendship that could change his life, as well as the lives of others suffering from Tourette’s.

Kirk Jones’s film is a remarkable piece of cinema that falls into the category of feel-good comedy dramas that British cinema does so well (movies like Billy Elliot, The Full Monty, and Pride). What Jones has produced is a film that hits the heart of a nation that doesn’t understand a condition that is massively misunderstood. The director of Nanny McPhee takes us on a journey of this man’s courage as he faces discrimination and judgment.

Davidson’s tics include shouting the most inappropriate things at the wrong time. The film starts with Davidson receiving his MBE for services to Tourette’s from Queen Elizabeth, and with his shouting F*** the Queen. What this does is set the tone for a film that is both brimming with sentiment and laughter. It’s Jones’s lightness of touch that the film manages to balance the tragedy with the laughter, without making the audience feel ashamed. What he does manage is to make us laugh with John and not at him.

Yet his life is full of ups and downs, from getting a job (the interview sequence is one of the high points) to being attacked in the streets, to becoming a voice for an often-forgotten section of people. Yet it never insults or pokes fun at the condition. Instead, it manages to make us see that there is more to Tourette’s than just tics and shouting, and it is more common than you think.

The cast is exceptional. Maxine Peake as Dottie is just so charming. She takes the man under her wing, and the bond between the pair is at the heart of the film. A woman of great courage who faces her own issues, allowing John to grow. Shirley Henderson, probably best remembered for playing Moaning Myrtle in the Harry Potter films, is terrific as the mother who almost turns her back on her son. In contrast, the consistently brilliant Peter Mullen, from films like Tyannosaur, brings a gentle compassion as John’s employer, Tommy.

For the film to work as well as it does, you need two actors to get the audience on the side of John. As the younger John, Scott Ellis Watson is a revelation. Having never acted before, he is brilliant, managing to pull at the heartstrings within the first 15 minutes of the film (the tears were free-flowing from that point on). Then we have Robert Aramayo, who is incredible as the older John. With roles in The King’s Man and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, this puts him front and centre, and he doesn’t disappoint. You believe he has the condition, and he lives up to it. It’s a remarkable performance, and it would be a crime if his name isn’t on the Best Actor award at next year’s BAFTA.

I Swear is a remarkable movie. It will have you riding the emotional rollercoaster while gaining more knowledge about a previously misinformed condition. In a time of division, this is the tonic we all need. If you only go to the cinema once this year, this is the time to do it. You will not be disappointed.

5 out of 5

Director: Kirk Jones

Starring: Robert Aramayo, Maxine Peake, Peter Mullen, Shirley Henderson, Scott Ellis Watson, Paul Donnelly, Chris Dixon, Andrea Bissett, Steven Cree, Francesco Piacentini-Smith

Written by Kirk Jones

Running Time: 120 mins

Cert: 15

Release date: 10th October 2025