It’s remarkably unfortunate that the way most Americans learned about “I Swear,” Kirk Jones’ biographical drama about Tourette syndrome advocate John Davidson, was by the exact kind of unintentional public gaffe the film exists to assuage. While Tourette syndrome has many complex symptoms, “I Swear” focuses largely on coprolalia, a symptom affecting approximately 10% of individuals with Tourette’s and manifests in the involuntary use of obscene language. Throughout the film, Davidson (played with exceptional depth by Robert Aramayo) wrestles with the public’s misunderstanding of his condition, enduring the voluntary violence doled out as a result of his involuntary tics. Though the film can be both overly didactic and schmaltzy, it earnestly attempts to dredge up compassion in the viewer, helping them to understand the nuances of Tourette syndrome as a way of championing both accessibility and acceptance.
But earlier this year, Davidson inadvertently found himself and his condition at the center of a media firestorm. While Delroy Lindo and Michael B. Jordan presented an award during February’s BAFTA ceremony, Davidson shouted the N-word, which was picked up by the microphones placed throughout the auditorium. According to reports, Warner Bros. — which distributed Jordan and Lindo’s smash hit, “Sinners” — and BAFTA called for the racial slur to be scrubbed from the broadcast, which aired pre-recorded on a two-hour delay. Still, the ceremony aired without the slur being censored, allowing viewers not only to hear the word but also to witness Jordan and Lindo’s visibly wearied frustration.
