I SWEAR

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Storyline (warning: spoilers)

Scottish activist John Davidson does not like the word “disability,” his diagnosis of Tourette’s Syndrome is a condition. The effects of this neurological condition have severe consequences for social interaction. People with Tourette’s often have tics and other involuntary jerking movements, and about ten percent of them cannot help shouting out offensive language.
Davidson’s life is the subject of the sensitive, heartwarming I Swear. It begins in 2019, with the formal ceremony in which Davidson received an MBE from Queen Elizabeth II for his advocacy on behalf of people with Tourette’s. She, too, had been alerted to the likelihood of a disruptive shout, which did occur and was extremely crude. Her Majesty handled it with regal aplomb. We then go back in time to see then-14-year-old Davidson (Scott Ellis Watson), a gifted young soccer goalie about to start high school. Tourette’s often appears in adolescence, so we see the beginning of his twitches and tics, his inability to suppress his outbursts, and the horrified reaction of his parents and the school. He is frequently punished, and finally, he is expelled. His father, who dreamed of John becoming a professional soccer player, leaves home.
Thirteen years later, Davidson (Aramayo) is still living with his mother (Shirley Henderson). The meds he takes to manage the Tourette’s do not help much. Then he meets Dottie (Maxine Peake), a warm-hearted nurse who will change his life. Davidson moves in with Dottie, and she finds him a job at a local community centre. His boss, Tommy (Peter Mullan), is crusty but kind. The unquestioning understanding and support John feels from Dottie and Tommy help him to relax, and he feels the Tourette’s imperatives less when he has something to focus on.
Then two opportunities come his way. A couple asks him to meet with their daughter who has Tourette’s and has never met another person with the same condition. One of the cops who had mistakenly assumed Davidson was being aggressive asks him to come speak to officers about Tourette’s so they can approach people with understanding. Davidson realizes that he can make a difference by providing support for people with Tourette’s and their families.