YAA Film Review; I swear

Trigger warning: Suicide

Youth Action Academy member Rhea caught up with Talia and Roy to see I swear at the cinema. Here she gives her honest review of the film.

New to cinemas this October, the film ‘I swear’ portrays the realities of living with Tourette’s

Syndrome. The biographical drama follows the life of John Davidson from his diagnosis at

the age of fourteen when his tics started developing, through adolescence and into

adulthood. He navigates a world often unprepared to understand his condition. The true

story captures how awareness, social attitudes, medical treatment and laws surrounding

Tourette’s Syndrome have evolved from the 1980s to the present day.

As the film portrays, tics may look like uncontrollable verbal outbursts which can be words or

sounds such a whistling, compulsions and intrusive thoughts and head, arm and or neck

movements. Prolonged rapid ticking can result in physical harm to person living with

Tourettes and they often become more severe when the person is nervous.

What makes I Swear so compelling is its unflinching portrayal of the mental health

implications of living with Tourette’s Syndrome. At school John was bullied by his peers and

teachers alike. The lack of awareness meant teachers punished him for his involuntary

behaviours. There was no one in his school or rural town ever having heard of Tourette’s

before. This resulted in John missing key milestones in his education, most notably, being

refused the chance to sit his final exams. A particularly moving part of ‘I Swear’ focuses on

John’s home life and the strain that Tourette’s places on his family. His father’s attitude

towards him shifts once his symptoms appear, gradually turning into anger, discomfort and

shame. This stress contributes to a breakdown of his parents' relationship. They separate

and John's mother becomes a single parent, trying to cope without any real understanding of

his condition. Her exhaustion and emotional fatigue are painfully evident. The film captures

the challenges that surround families, particularly single-parent families, when you are

looking after a child with a mental health condition with very limited external support,

knowledge and understanding.

John found school particularly difficult, leaving him with severe trauma to his self esteam, no

qualifications and internalised blame from a father who abandoned him. His career

aspiration and mental health took a severe turn for the worse. In a particularly distressing

scene, we even see John attempt to take his own life while he’s still in adolescence. This

scene shows that without any systemic support, his condition can become debilitating

causing isolation, loneliness and a lack of independence. As the years pass and his siblings

move out, John remains at home with his mother well into adulthood. He is unable to find

work, as a lack of understanding and knowledge follows him into the workplace. It shows the

lack of inclusivity in professional environments. This adds yet another detrimental affect to

his wellbeing and sense of purpose. As well as this, we witness the everyday challenges that

accompany having Tourettes, some include: visiting the shops, having a conversation with a

stranger or making a cup of tea. We can see the anxiety existing in public spaces where

Johns Ticks are misunderstood and misinterpreted as intentional insults. This impacted

Johns emotional and physical safety as he was met with verbal abuse and at times physical

violence. Notably, John is hospitalised due to a severe attack probed by a misunderstanding

of his tics.

At times the movie seemed bleak. Especially when John’s tics repeatedly bring him into

contact with the police and even into court when his involuntary movements are mistaken for

aggression and intoxication. These encounters highlight a wider societal problem, a justice

system unequipped to serve individuals with Tourette Syndrome. There is a severe lack of

awareness, understanding and compassion for the individuals who live with it. After years of

experiencing external judgment and being treated as a threat and depression, he’s taken in

by a compassionate family. They offered encouragement and with this, he is able to rebuild

his life. They find books about Tourette Syndrome and begin reading them together,

becoming informed and educated on the condition and learning new ways of navigating it.

They also supported him to find employment. His boss and close friend help John to reframe

how he sees his condition with the powerful statement “Have you ever thought that Tourettes

is not the problem and there lack of awareness is? You need to stop caring what they think

and teach them.”

Small acts of kindness, acceptance and understanding begin to pull him

out of his darkness.

John is empowered by the compassion he receives and begins to

educate others. He organises events for people living with Tourette’s, creates support

networks for parents raising children with the condition, and educated pupils, teachers,

police, organisations and healthcare workers. Through his advocacy, his quality of life

improves dramatically, and so does his sense of purpose. At the age of 48 (in 2019) John

was awarded an MBE by the Queen of England for his campaigning on Tourette's Syndrome

awareness.

There is still no cure for Tourette Syndrome. While new medical technologies are emerging,

such as treatments first trialled in 2023, access to them remains unequal. John’s long

journey from rural Scotland to Nottingham to take part in a trial highlights the ongoing

barriers many still face. The most important message the film leaves behind is that medicine

alone is not enough. There is a societal need for education and awareness of Tourette

Syndrome across schools, workplaces, healthcare, and the justice system. This would

enable those living with Tourette Syndrome and other neurological conditions to live with

dignity rather than discrimination. Change begins with understanding. The film shows an

ultimate need for human kindness and openness alongside medical breakthroughs. It plee’s

for us to create a world in which inclusion, respect, and hope can thrive, saving the lives of

people like John.