How to Watch I Swear? Here's how you can see the BAFTA-winning film about John Davidson starring Robert Aramayo - Netflix release date
The Scottish film beat some serious Hollywood heavyweights to a couple of BAFTA Awards.
Paul Thomas Anderson’s sprawling black comedy One Battle After Another may have won most BAFTAs at the recent awards ceremony, but there was no doubt what the biggest story of the night was,
The relatively unknown Robert Aramayo scooped the Best Actor award for Scottish film I Swear, beating Timothée Chalamet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ethan Hawke, Michael B Jordan and Jesse Plemons to the gong.
He also won the EE Rising Star Award, while I Swear claimed the Best Casting trophy earlier in the evening.
If you’re not seen the film that everybody suddenly seems to be talking about then here’s everything you need to know.
What is I Swear about?
The film is a biographical drama about John Davidson, a man with Tourette's syndrome, who was the subject of a groundbreaking 1989 BBC television documentary called John's Not Mad. At the time Tourette’s syndrome was a little-known condition, with most people hearing about it for the first time by watching the programme about the 16-year-old Scot.
Most of the film is concerned about John’s life after the documentary, seeing him leave his mother’s home and move in with a friend’s family, including his mother who has been diagnosed with cancer.
It’s shows his struggles with his condition, with matters improving after he manages to get a job at the local community centre - but there are many challenges ahead.
Where is I Swear set?
I Swear mainly takes place in the Scottish Borders town of Galashiels. where John Davidson was born and brought up.
Who is in I Swear?
The main cast members of I Swear are as follows:
- Robert Aramayo - John Davidson
- Scott Ellis Watson - young John Davidson
- Maxine Peake - Dottie Achenbach
- Shirley Henderson - Heather Davidson
- Peter Mullan - Tommy Trotter
- Paul Donnelly - Billy Dean
- Douglas Rankine - Doctor Colin Hargreaves
- Adam McNamara - Inspector MacCullen
- Chris Dixon - James
- David Carlyle - Chris Achenbach
- Steven Cree - David Davidson
- Anthony Capaldi - Andy
- Andrea Bisset - Lucy
- Francesco Piacentini-Smith - Murray
When was I Swear in cinemas?
I Swear was released in British cinemas last year on October 10, following its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7.
Where can I watch I Swear?
I Swear will be available to watch on Netflix in the UK from Tuesday, March 10, 2026.
If you can’t wait that long, it’s available from most streaming-on-demand platforms for around £5, including Apple TV Store, Amazon Video, Sky Store, Rakuten TV, and Curzon.
You can also buy it on DVD - it was released back in December.
Where is Robert Aramayo from?
You might be fooled into thinking the star of I Swear is Scottish - his accent is pretty much flawless - but he’s actually English and has a Yorkshire accent.
What does John Davidson do now?
The real-life John continues to be a well-know ambassador for Tourette’s syndrome, giving talks and workships to children, teachers and police, as well as organising an annual residential camp for young people with the condition. He was awarded an MBE in 2019.
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