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Which activities do vicars engage in in their own spare time? Recently, this writer went with a couple of colleagues, each fellow ministers, to watch a recently released picture named I Swear. From the preview, I knew which the film focused on a man experiencing Tourette syndrome. What the author had not understand turned out to be that it was based on an actual individual: the central character, who was featured in a previous late eighties program and received a royal honor in recognition of his work to inform people about Tourette's and assist those affected.

Understanding Tourette Syndrome

Prior to that documentary, most people hadn't known about Tourette syndrome. Almost four decades afterwards, people roughly recognizes what it is, yet it remains viewed as a punchline – especially in the comedy circuit.

From previews, it was evident which the production aimed to have its cake and eat it through both leveraging the undeniable comic potential of a person shouting highly offensive things during unexpected moments and working to continue the protagonist's work of raising awareness through a tactful and considerate approach. I hope it’s not revealing too much to state it succeeded on both counts – however obviously this realization came by the end.

A Surprising Theater Incident

As the film was starting, a young man sitting ahead nearby unexpectedly exclaimed a string of profanities. At first, I thought it was a gag – although a joke quite offensive. Yet, it soon became clear that this was someone genuinely experiencing Tourette syndrome: a young man with a parent.

And as the story continued, so did the teenager – with no visible intervention by either his father nor anybody among the viewers. This led to a bit torn. Undoubtedly, this represented an important moment for them to experience their certainly incredibly difficult life shown in cinema, and I felt glad which they got this experience. Yet was it fair that we and the entire audience in the cinema struggled to follow the dialogue because of this? Would the cinema have been able to organize a special screening – like many cinemas frequently offer to those with conditions typically?

A Moral Conflict

I feel embarrassed to confess which I actually considered saying something – not directly to them personally (I am no an insensitive person), instead to the manager at the venue. Yet, both of my evidently more charitable fellow vicars seemed to have resigned themselves to the situation. Plus, lurking in my thoughts was the admittedly fictional incident from Extras where Ricky Gervais’s the protagonist objects regarding a child causing a disturbance during a meal, ignorant which he has Down’s syndrome. He barely survived the resultant public criticism – and my complaint would have been much more severe since I knew the teenager could not was unable to control it.

An Eye-Opening Realization

Luckily, my conscience prevailed and an amazing thing happened during the next film duration. Initially, I just got used to the previously bothersome utterances. Then, as the film approached its conclusion where the audience observed the incredibly liberating effect which the protagonist's special programs provided for many participants, I felt modest and extremely fortunate to share this event with those who had real experience not only as actors – even though Robert Aramayo’s acting as Davidson stood out , in my view, Oscar-caliber.

I’ve had comparable situations at the movies in the past – viewing The King’s Speech with a friend with a stammer and their speech therapist spouse, alternatively bumping into actual veterans from D-Day in the foyer following Saving Private Ryan – but that experience was far more impactful. It was like an enhanced viewing, however rather than the chairs moving about and water mists spraying the audience, the characters were present next to you saying, “This isn’t just entertainment. This is my truth.” Then cursing. A memorable line.

An Uplifting Conclusion

So I didn’t complain. When the film ended, I went so far as to went and thanked the teenager – who was 14 – along with the parent, guardian, for the privilege of their presence, which without a doubt enriched the film even more profound compared to a standard screening. We then had a long chat then captured a memory as a group – when everyone present shouted an expletive in solidarity with the boy.

Key Takeaways

I would strongly encourage everyone to watch this brilliant film and if the opportunity arises to find yourself sharing the cinema with someone like Joe, {don’t be a nim