I Swear (2026)

“I Swear” stars Robert Aramayo, Maxine Peake, Shirley Henderson, Peter Mullan, and Scott Ellis Watson.  Released in the United Kingdom on October 10, 2025, and in the United States on April 24, 2026, the film chronicles a young man living with Tourette's syndrome.
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The film was written and directed by Kirk Jones, who also directed films such as “Waking Ned”, “Nanny McPhee”, “What to Expect When You’re Expecting”, and “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2”.  In a world filled with countless individuals, many actively work to overcome the challenges of daily life, particularly those living with disabilities and mental disorders. Conditions such as autism can affect how people navigate everyday tasks compared to others. However, many individuals with these challenges succeed, often thanks to the acceptance and understanding they receive from those around them, as they, in turn, treat others with respect and compassion.  One such case is an individual from the Scottish Borders who was diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome during a period when disabilities weren’t fully understood yet.  This individual, John Davidson, was the subject of the 1989 made-for-TV documentary, “John’s Not Mad”, where his experience with Tourette's syndrome inspired people to learn about this previously misunderstood disorder, which was often mistaken for “rude behavior”.  That experience has then translated into a feature film that explores John’s daily struggles with Tourette's, both the highs and the lows.  Does it deliver an honorable and heartwarming biopic worth swearing about in a good way?  Let’s find out.

The story follows the true story of John Davidson (Aramayo), a young man living with his working-class family in Galashiels.  While studying at Galashiels Academy, John’s normal life gradually changes when he starts experiencing episodes of tics and uncontrollable coprolalia.  His sudden outbursts and twitches cause a massive strain to his family, including his mother, Heather (Henderson), and his attendance record.  He eventually discovers that he has been diagnosed with Tourette's syndrome, which has no cure.  Now at the age of 25, John encounters several challenges in his life while dealing with his condition, eventually gaining support from those who accept him, including Dottie Achenbach (Peake), a mother and mental health nurse with liver cancer.  His journey led John to raise awareness of Tourette's and inspire those who share similar experiences.
   
You’re probably wondering how I got myself into watching something like “I Swear”.  Well, long story short, this movie turned out to be one of the mystery movies I attended this month.  Regarding its R rating and runtime, I was assuming it would be something like “Beast” or “Mother Mary”.  But, as it turns out, I was way off in my guesses, as I didn’t expect “I Swear” to be one of those guesses.  Unsurprisingly, I was a bit disappointed and surprised at first, but I pressed on to see if it would impress me regardless.  It’s also worth noting that I only caught wind of this film through its poster, and I hadn’t even heard of John Davidson before watching it.  After sticking around for a bit, I was really surprised by how thoughtful and respectful the movie is in its exploration of this difficult condition.  To no one’s surprise, “I Swear” does offer a lot of swearing and British slang, courtesy of John’s motor disorder.  However, even with its colorful language, it’s still a wholesome, well-balanced, and sincere fact-based drama that also serves as an important learning tool for people adapting to those with Tourette's.

Topics relating to disabilities or mental disorders can be tough to represent, whether in film or television.  I’m not referring only to the quality of the filmmaking, but also to the level of respect for this subject matter.  They don’t want to make those like Tourette's or autism into complete jokes that aren’t worth taking seriously, but they also don’t want to make the representation too sentimental to the point of being cringeworthy.  It’s this type of balance where one single mistake in the direction or screenplay can lead to a critical beatdown.  That’s literally the only concern I had while viewing this movie.  Thankfully, Kirk Jones almost perfectly nailed this balance in his vision.  It’s heartwarming in a way that’s more sincere and humane than corny and mawkish, but it’s also pretty humorous and emotional in its charm and John’s motor disorder.  Granted, the latter wasn’t supposed to be funny, as it is something we take seriously, but the film’s charisma helps prevent it from being too depressing.

Funny enough, I wasn’t familiar with Kirk Jones until I looked up his filmography.  To my surprise, I immediately realized that he’s the same director behind the oddly charming “Nanny McPhee” two decades ago.  I should find time to rewatch that movie.  Considering the charm and heart in this movie’s tone and British vibe, it’s no wonder that I was so immersed in this fact-based journey.  After struggling with the previous films he directed, Kirk Jones has certainly regained his visionary essence through his genuine balance of wholesomeness, drama, and sincerity.  There were a few times where the fade-to-black transitions make it look like a made-for-television movie, but they don’t deteriorate the quality too much.  It’s one of the movies where the engagement and heartwarming flair of the premise excuse their somewhat questionable transitions.

However, the actual highlight of “I Swear” would have to be Jones’ screenplay.  As I said, I was initially worried that it would be either too sentimental or offensive, especially when showcasing people with Tourette's.  Fortunately, the screenplay was well written enough to treat this condition with the utmost care and respect it deserves.  It’s thought-provoking and entertaining regarding its themes of acceptance and resilience, with the latter underscoring John’s struggle with his condition.  More importantly, the script is honest and effectively presents the pros and cons of Tourette's without leaning too far on either side.  The latter emphasizes that the movie takes place in the 1990s, when most people didn’t fully understand what Tourette's is, making daily life more difficult for people with Tourette's than it is today.  It somehow reminded me of what I’ve been through in the 90s regarding my autism.  Fortunately, my life got a bit better once more people understood my condition, similar to John’s growth.  Despite some familiar plot elements from other biographical dramas, they’re used well to reflect its messages and representation in a simple, genuine way, without shoving its emotional intent down my throat.  But, I can also definitely see “I Swear” as another crucial learning tool to help audiences better understand people living with Tourette's.

Among the cast, a few actors really stood out to me, particularly Robert Aramayo.  Plenty of fantasy fans may have recognized Aramayo as the young Eddard Stark in “Game of Thrones” and Elrond in “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power”, both of which I have not seen…yet.  “I Swear” sees him stepping into the real world regarding his portrayal of John Davidson and his grappling with Tourette's Syndrome, and it was an impressive sight to behold.  His performance earned him the BAFTA Award for Best Actor, and I can understand why.  Aramayo’s portrayal of John is brilliant in its approach to the character’s charm, warmth, and vulnerability, and his portrayal of Tourette's was pretty spot on.  Through his comedic timing, humanity, and convincing emotion, Aramayo deserves his flowers for highlighting John and his inspirational journey.  Maxine Peake was also great as Dottie, the mother of John’s best friend Murray (Francesco Piacentini-Smith), whose motherly vibes and warmth make her one of the best parts of the film.  I also enjoyed Peter Mullan as Tommy Trotter, the caretaker from a local community center.

Overall, “I Swear” excuses its uncontrollable outbursts with a sublime blend of heart, British comedy, and warmth that highlights the authenticity of Tourette's.  This is a nearly flawless, earnest drama that uses its biographical tropes and understanding to adapt John Davidson’s inspiring journey and his motor disorder.  While it can be a bit raunchy with its coarse language and British slang, it’s not in a way that’s considered offensive or cringeworthy.  Writer/director Kirk Jones ensured that its genuine representation and thought-provoking themes shine through, highlighting both the pros and cons of living with Tourette's with a well-balanced tone.  The result is one of the biggest cinematic surprises I’ve encountered this year, and it is also one of the better films that treat the subject matter with care and respect.  If it’s playing at a theater near you and you’re looking for something heartwarming and inspiring to watch, I highly recommend this one.

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