It can be tough when you’re different, especially when those differences force you to stand out. It’s even worse when you can’t hide those differences. That was the case for John Davidson, who as a teenager had his life radically changed.

The new film I Swear, which launched in 2025 in the U.K. and earned recognition at the BAFTA awards, tells his story. It comes from writer/director Kirk Jones and features a strong performance from Robert Aramayo. It also exposes audiences to the truth surrounding life with Tourette’s syndrome.

We kick off with Davidson as a 15-year-old boy. He’s living a normal life as a high school student and trying to connect with his family. But soon, he starts developing tics and having outbursts. Something weird is happening, and it puts a lot of pressure on him. His father walks out and his mother (Shirley Henderson) is struggling to cope with it all.

It turns out, Davidson isn’t just acting out. He has Tourette’s syndrome. It’s a difficult and public disease for which there is no cure and little control. Flash-forward years later and Davidson (Aramayo) is struggling to live his life despite outbursts that most people can’t understand. When he connects with Dottie (Maxine Peake), the mother of a close friend, he finds the support and understanding he’s been looking for to move forward.

Armed with some new confidence and some new help, he connects with Tommy (Peter Mullan) and lands a job. That provides him the structure and focus he needs to manage his life, and soon he’s able to channel energy into reaching out to others who are afflicted and into educating the community and the country about how to support those suffering from Tourette’s syndrome.

This is an interesting and inspiring story. While it had a big 2025 overseas, many here are likely familiar with it because of Aramayo’s win at the BAFTA awards. It’s finally releasing wide here in America, giving domestic audiences a chance to hear more about Davidson’s story.

Jones does a nice job of crafting the story and laying it all out. The early sections, which show the difficulty of being diagnosed as a teenager, set the stage. But it’s the core of the story featuring Aramayo that really makes it all work. He has a good feel for the story and for building out this world.

It helps to have Aramayo in the lead. The way he’s able to capture Davidson’s tics and struggles and create an engaging drama brings you all into this world. I appreciated the supporting cast, too, especially Mullan and Peake. It moves at a good pace and helps to shed more light on a syndrome many have heard but likely few truly understand. You can see why the film drew rave reviews from critics and audiences, and why Aramayo was recognized at the BAFTA awards.

I Swear is a unique journey through Davidson’s life and his work. It’s an engaging story that will do well with audiences. The film opens nationwide on Friday, April 24.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.