I Swear: This is a Truly Spectacular Film
What was your biggest childhood dream? Billy Elliot wanted to be a professional ballet dancer, Miguel Rivera (Coco) wanted to be a musician, and Rocky Balboa wanted to “go the distance”. Cinema (and life) is filled with dreams: accomplished, lost, and, perhaps more interestingly, transformed. In his new film, I Swear, Kirk Jones brings to the big screen the story of MBE John Davidson – a boy whose Tourette’s diagnosis forced his dreams to evolve.
In the 1980s, John was a teenager who dreamed of becoming a professional goalkeeper, and after a crucial penalty save, he even had a scout travelling to see him. However, this coincides with the start of his ticks, which make him twitch and swear. Growing up in a moment when the awareness and understanding of Tourette’s Syndrome was virtually non-existent caused John (and the audience) several moments of pain with a father who abandoned his son, a physically abusive headmaster, and a society that isolates. The film portrays the difficulties of John’s life, but it equally focuses on the support system around him, notably Maxine Peake's healing character, Dottie, and Peter Mullan's Tommy. The star of the film, however, is Robert Aramayo, who brings to the screen the amazing John Davidson.
As an adult, John’s new dream moved from the goal line to the front line of Tourette’s, bringing awareness to the disease and helping people who suffer from it know they are not alone. I Swear is only another step towards this goal in John’s great career, helping us bridge a gap in understanding and move closer to a more human society. If you go to the Dukes this week, I Swear this film will make you cry with rage, sadness, happiness and hope, but it will also make you laugh. I Swear is just brilliant!
Written by João Eduardo Lima Belchior
I Swear is currently playing until 9th November, with an extra screening on the 19th November.
