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The type of movie you watch and curse vehemently at—not because it’s bad but because it’s so good you wonder why the hell the studio didn’t market the hell out of it—I Swear is a fascinating and endearing true story about a young man with severe Tourette’s Syndrome, and his battle to forge a normal life for himself. Moving, funny, and entertaining, I Swear is worth swearing about. Yes, I came up with that line myself. That’s why they pay me the big bucks.
Despite Tourette’s notoriety, fewer than 10% of people affected actively swear or say the inappropriate things that are commonly associated with the neurological disorder. John Davidson is one of those 10%.
His symptoms began when he was 12 or 13, in the early 80s before Tourette’s was well known. Needless to say he had a rough childhood, and the movie implies he was the reason his dad abandoned his family. Way to go, John.
As an adult, John, played brilliantly by Robert Aramayo, finally found a path forward after being taken in by a friend’s mother, a mental health nurse who taught him to accept who he is instead of fighting to constrain his issues. Through ups and downs, John progresses through life, swearing his way into new jobs while sometimes tangling with the law or unsavory dudes who don’t like it when their girlfriends are inadvertently called sluts or cunts.
I Swear is an effectively told if straightforward drama; writer/director Kirk Jones isn’t concerned with added melodrama or visual flair. He sometimes cuts away too soon; for example, after finding someone dead, he immediately declares to the police that he killed the guy—an involuntary tic. Jones just moves on without mentioning it again.
Even as a drama, I Swear is funny. Tourette’s is a serious thing and presumably not a pleasant condition to have, but there is a natural humor to it and I Swear doesn’t bat an eye in finding the humorous side of things. A scene where Jon meets up with a girl who also has Tourette’s is downright hilarious, just to name one.
As good as I Swear is, the movie belongs to Aramayo. He’s so convincing that I had to google him to see if he actually has Tourette’s (he doesn’t); he gives an incredibly strong, highly believable performance that deserves all the plaudits in the world.
Review by Erik Samdahl. Erik is a marketing and technology executive by day, avid movie lover by night. He is a member of the Seattle Film Critics Society.
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