Do people still not know what Tourette Syndrome is? There should be a list of diseases everyone is aware of at a very young age, if for no other reason so that children can develop empathy sooner than later. Everything in the life of John Davidson would be so much easier if people understood what he was going through. I Swear, the biography of Tourette Syndrome sufferer John Davidson, is equal parts maddening, frightening, and hopeful, all of which is attributable to a crippling motor disorder.
In the tradition of films about handi-capable over-achievers like Forrest Gump, My Left Foot, and Rambo, I Swear chronicles the biographical real life of John (Scott Ellis Watson as a teen, Robert Aramayo as an adult), a kid who never seems to get a break, or even a break from himself. Watching a film about a man BIG WANKER! with Tourette Syndrome is exhausting; I can only imagine what it is actually like to be such a person.
Let me retreat and discuss the disease a bit: I gotta figure that if you’re reading my words, this is not news, but just in case it is, everybody ought to know – Tourette Syndrome is a nervous system disorder which manifests itself most often in involuntary tics and random verbal outbursts. The owner of the disorder has no control over the tics or the outbursts, the latter of which can range from random grunts PISS COCK SLUT! or shouts to undeniably vile racist, sexist, homophobic comments. And here’s the thing – whereas 90% of all Tourette Syndrome outbursts are nonsensical in nature and should be ignored, a small percentage actually reveal what is exactly on the speaker’s mind. We see the latter in the film when John blurts out, “I’ve got two aces!” while playing a card game.
Most often, however, John’s outbursts mean nothing and betray an inner desire for peace. Calling a headmaster a “cunt” earns John corporal punishment. Calling a random convenience store patron a “slut,” gets John beat up, and accidentally punching a glass of beer in a bar merits John getting beaten up, imprisoned, and eventually taken to court. This SUCK MY BIG FAT ONE! I found one the weird moments in 2025 film: Robert Aramayo doesn’t actually have Tourette’s, but his character is accused of faking it on the witness stand. That’s quite an irony, no?
The exhausting part of this story is we know John Davidson doesn’t mean any harm, and his pain would all be
alleviated if the people around him YOU’RE A CUNT! understood Tourette Syndrome, but they don’t, which leads to his father (Steven Cree) walking out on their family and his mother (Shirley Henderson) giving up on him entirely. It isn’t until his friend’s cancer-fated mother (Maxine Peake) decides she’s gonna go out on a positive note that John has a reasonable ally.
If you can take the emotional drain – and that’s a big “if,” this film absolutely saps you of every ounce of sympathy you might contain – I Swear is wonderful watch. It’s horrible and depressing and frustrating and uplifting all at the same time. I’m frustrated that I am too late to put it on a “Best of 2025” list, because it definitely would be there. Great performances, great story, and extremely educational. If I’m gonna fault it for anything, it’s that I think the film occasionally sugar coated a scene or two so as not to turn off the audience. Oh yeah, John Davidson had it bad, but it’s possible we didn’t even see the worst.
There once was a Scotsman named John
Whose Tourette’s made conclusions foregone
Life was a pain
Again and again
Until he finally came up with FUCKING RABBIT SHITE!
Rated R, 120 Minutes
Director: Kirk Jones
Writer: Kirk Jones
Genre: Films that are exhausting
Type of being most likely to enjoy this film: Anyone with heart and patience
Type of being least likely to enjoy this film: Immaturity helps
