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I Swear

Play trailer 2:12 Poster for I Swear 2025 2h 1m Biography Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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100% Tomatometer 28 Reviews 100% Popcornmeter 50+ Ratings
Scottish setting, true life story of John Davidson. Diagnosed with Tourette's at 15, targeted as 'insane' by his peers, he struggled with a condition few had witnessed. Campaigning for better understanding and acceptance of the condition of Tourette's as an adult, he finds his life's purpose and accepted his MBE from the Queen in 2019.

Critics Reviews

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Kevin Maher The Times (UK) All flaws are overcome by Aramayo’s technically precise and heart-rending turn. It’s astonishing. Rated: 4/5 Oct 15, 2025 Full Review David Jenkins Little White Lies What the film does have going for it is a remarkable and charismatic performance from actor Robert Aramayo. Rated: 2/5 Oct 14, 2025 Full Review Clarisse Loughrey Independent (UK) I Swear happily adheres to the British cinematic tradition of small town underdog stories, without ever hijacking and streamlining Davidson’s experiences to maximise its “feel-good” credentials. Rated: 4/5 Oct 14, 2025 Full Review Rich Cline Shadows on the Wall While writer-director Kirk Jones pushes the emotions rather forcefully, the story is made wonderfully spicy simply because of the subject matter. Rated: 4/5 Oct 14, 2025 Full Review Nicola Austin Movie Marker With its touching message of empathy, acceptance and kindness, along with excellent performances from Aramayo, Peake and Mullan, I Swear is a hugely important and informative watch – and potentially one of this year’s best British films. Rated: 5/5 Oct 13, 2025 Full Review Harry Guerin RTÉ (Ireland) ...there is shocking heartache and bewilderment but also huge amounts of kindness and humour too. This really is a film where you'll be laughing one minute and feel tears building the next. Rated: 5/5 Oct 10, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Jo H OMG such a wonderful Movie, amazing Acting - definitely go and see it, funny, sad and extremely up-lifting Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/20/25 Full Review Paul N Comparable to the TV Mini Series 'Adolescence'. A powerfully acted and directed piece of cinema genius. An educational insight into the world of people with difference, disabilities, guided by the story of a boy growing into a man with Tourettes Syndrome... Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/20/25 Full Review Grant L Practically perferct in every way! Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/20/25 Full Review Wendy M Educational & inspirational - all wrapped up in a package that's laugh out loud funny, tragic & heartbreakingly sad in equal measure. The level of acting from all cast members was 5*. The cameo appearance by John Davidson MBE, on whose life story the film is based, was heartwarming. I wish him well. Hopefully, Nottingham University's research programe delivers a way forward for people living with Tourette's syndrome to manage their symptoms & tics. It would be wonderful if this film could be shown in schools to appropriate age students. Education is the gateway to understanding. Film of the year for me. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/19/25 Full Review Alan W Landing somewhere between Ken Loach neo-realism and a British working class crowd-pleaser like Billy Elliot or Brassed Off, writer-director Kirk Jones' biographical drama about lauded campaigner and advocate John Davidson is life affirming and almost earnest to a fault. First played by Scott Ellis Watson and then Robert Aramayo when the film takes a 13-years time jump, he's a young Scottish lad growing up in the 80s (an era the film succinctly captured via needle-dropping Blue Monday and the use of Pearl & Dean ads) with Tourette Syndrome at a time when most people have no idea about the involuntary tics and swearing associated with the condition. Enduring much misunderstanding and humiliation both at school and at home, his life is turned around when he meets Maxine Peake's understanding ex-psychiatric nurse, Dottie, and Peter Mullan's community hall caretaker, Tommy, who's willing to take a chance on him. Charting the highs and lows in his life, this is certainly formulaic, but it's also highly skilful at tugging at our heartstrings as Jones' screenplay delicately balances sentimentality with plenty of humour which come naturally from Davidson's (un)timely outbursts. It also benefits from the casting of two fairly unknown young actors playing Davidson who are free of any baggage to immerse themselves convincingly into the role, giving us two affecting and endearing performances, which are lovingly supported by a trio of veteran actors like Peake and Mullan, as well as Shirley Henderson as Davidson's more uptight mother who struggles to cope with her son's condition. Condensing someone's life into 2hrs meant certain family members like his father and his siblings are short-changed, with very limited or no screen time at all, but this remains undeniably a precisely designed and well made film which can move and educate a mainstream audience at the same time. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 10/19/25 Full Review Daniel G Wonderful. Funny and very moving. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 10/18/25 Full Review Read all reviews
I Swear

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Movie Info

Synopsis Scottish setting, true life story of John Davidson. Diagnosed with Tourette's at 15, targeted as 'insane' by his peers, he struggled with a condition few had witnessed. Campaigning for better understanding and acceptance of the condition of Tourette's as an adult, he finds his life's purpose and accepted his MBE from the Queen in 2019.
Director
Kirk Jones
Producer
Piers Tempest, Kirk Jones, Georgia Bayliff
Screenwriter
Kirk Jones
Production Co
Tempo Productions, One Story High
Genre
Biography, Drama
Original Language
English
Runtime
2h 1m