Movie Review: I Swear (2025)

Starring: Robert Aramayo (John Davidson), Maxine Peake (Dottie Achenbach), Shirley Henderson (Heather Davidson), Peter Mullan (Tommy Trotter)

Written / Directed by: Kirk Jones       (Released: 10th October)

If you are offended by swearing, do NOT go to this movie and just walk on to the next screen , my friend. But if you want gritty, heartfelt performances and an empathetic true-life story, watch on. I Swear is a biographical drama based on the real life of John Davidson; a Scottish man diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome in his mid-teens. That should not have been a problem, but we are talking about a movie set largely in 1980s Scotland. It explores how John navigates adolescence and early adulthood while grappling with a condition that is often misunderstood, stigmatized, or simply invisible to those around him.

And make no mistake, it is an unsentimental and harsh world that John grows up in. We see him going from being a popular and charismatic student and a talented goalkeeper on the verge of the big time, to a pariah because of his illness. Initially, there is little to no sympathy for John from his family or friends. The terrifying aspect of the onset of Tourette’s is the lack of a cause or incident to set it off — he is just ambushed by a mind that will not cooperate, and the consequences are woeful.

We see his daily struggles: physical tics, involuntary outbursts (including the often shocking but sometimes humorous swearing), problems at school and in his community, and the emotional toll it has on him and those close to him. The inevitable frustration, loneliness, and anger John feels in this dark world he has been thrown into is only matched by the indifference and aggression shown to him. Yet for all that, there is a certain grim humour in the story that keeps you holding on to hope for John.

That it manages to pull off the trick of being, at times, funny and heartbreaking is a major achievement. Critics have been raving about it. Time Out said that it is “Empathetic, funny and myth-busting, it gives you permission to laugh at the situation while feeling only compassion for the man,” while Empire raved, “Just lovely. Tourette syndrome has not been afforded its cinematic dues, but what an affable, funny character to explore it with in John Davidson — and what a performance from Robert Aramayo.”

Indeed, Aramayo gives such a committed, funny, and skilled performance it is hard to believe that he does not have Tourette’s in real life. Highlights of his TV and movie career so far have included playing the role of young Eddard Stark in the sixth and seventh seasons of the HBO series Game of Thrones (2016/17), and as Elrond in Amazon’s television series The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. He is the central hub in a story that deals with some big themes — resilience & identity, the dynamics of family & support systems, and social stigma & misunderstanding. Yet it is mainly about how we need to find a voice: a thread running through the story is John transforming from an isolated, self-conscious teenager to someone who becomes an advocate for awareness.

A turning point is his relationship with Dottie (played by Maxine Peake), a nurse or mentor figure who becomes a steady presence and helps him find a sense of voice and confidence. Kirk Jones’s direction has a naturalistic tone, a blend of Scottish grit and warmth, and mainly avoids sentimentality while still being emotionally charged. The cinematography by James Blann captures Scotland’s landscapes — both bleak and beautiful — mirroring John’s inner state.

The other characters around John are believable, raw, and powerful in an understated way as they react in different ways to adversity. Maxine Peake, outstanding per usual, plays Dottie with a grounding presence, balancing empathy with tough honesty. Shirley Henderson, as John’s mum, delivers a nuanced portrait of a mother trying to hold her family together while facing judgment from the outside world. Peter Mullan, as Tommy Trotter, the caretaker, brings grit and menace as a figure from John’s community — providing texture and a way out for John.

Kirk Jones deserves great credit for producing a deceptively straightforward story of a man’s struggle against illness and society’s reaction to it. Yet within simplicity are some big, meaty themes like love and loss, the meaning of friendships and family, and tolerance. I urge you to see it because, by f@*k, you will not forget it in a hurry.

Score: 9/10