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What might vicars participate in in their own leisure hours? Not long ago, this writer went accompanied by two colleagues, each other pastors, to view a new movie called I Swear. From the trailer, I understood which the film focused on an individual diagnosed with Tourette's. What I had not know turned out to be that it depicted a true-life figure: the subject, that appeared in a previous 1989 film who later received an MBE for their work to inform the public regarding this syndrome as well as assist others with TS.

Understanding Tourette Syndrome

Before this programme, most people did not been aware of Tourette syndrome. Almost 40 years afterwards, people roughly knows its nature, yet it’s still treated as comic material – especially within comedy shows.

Based on the teaser, it appeared that the film was going to try to walk a fine line through both using the undeniable funny moments of a person yelling socially awkward words during unexpected moments while also striving to further the protagonist's work of promoting understanding through a compassionate approach. I hope this isn't revealing too much to say it was successful in both aspects – but of course this became clear once the film concluded.

A Surprising Movie Encounter

When the feature was starting, a teenager seated in the row of us abruptly exclaimed a string of obscenities. For a minute, it appeared this was a joke – albeit a joke highly inappropriate. But, it was soon evident that here was an actual individual experiencing Tourette's: a teenager accompanied by a parent.

And as the story continued, the same with the teenager – and there was no apparent intervention from neither his father nor anybody among the viewers. This led to a bit torn. Clearly, it was a significant event for this family to see their no doubt incredibly difficult life depicted in cinema, and it was positive which they received that opportunity. Yet was it OK if I along with other viewers in the theater could barely understand the audio because of this? Could the cinema not have organize a dedicated session – as most of the chains frequently offer to neurodiverse people typically?

A Moral Struggle

I’m ashamed to confess that I genuinely contemplated raising the issue – however, not to the boy’s father personally (I am no an insensitive person), instead to staff at the venue. However, both of my clearly kinder fellow vicars seemed to have resigned themselves to the events. Additionally, I recalled there was an fictional yet memorable scene from Extras when Ricky Gervais’s the protagonist complains about a young person making too much noise during a meal, unaware that he has a genetic condition. He endured the ensuing bad press – and my offence might have been much more severe since I understood the individual literally had no choice.

A Transformative Realization

Luckily, my better nature won over and an amazing thing occurred over the following film duration. First, I just adapted to the previously bothersome noise. Later, as the story approached its conclusion and the audience observed the deeply freeing influence which the protagonist's Tourette’s camps provided for numerous individuals, I experienced humbled as well as very privileged to experience this time alongside individuals who had real experience not just portrayed on screen – although the lead actor's portrayal as Davidson was excellent and to this writer, deserving of recognition.

I’ve had analogous moments in the cinema in the past – watching The King’s Speech alongside a friend who stutters and his speech therapist wife, or meeting real ex-soldiers from D-Day in the lobby after Saving Private Ryan – but this was on another level. It was like an enhanced viewing, however instead of the chairs moving about or water mists spraying the audience, the people were present next to you declaring, “This goes beyond entertainment. It’s my reality.” And then using foul language. An example phrase.

A Positive Outcome

So I refrained from objecting. When the credits rolled, I went so far as to spoke with the young man – aged 14 – and his father, his father, for the privilege of sharing the space, which certainly enhanced our viewing deeper than it would have been. Afterwards had a long chat and captured a memory together – at that moment we all yelled an expletive to support the boy.

Final Thoughts

I would strongly encourage all viewers to go and see this excellent production , if you have the chance to end up sharing the cinema with someone like Joe, {don’t be a nim