I Swear, John Davidson (Scott Ellis Watson) gets diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome at the age of 15 while living in Scotland with his mother, Heather (Shirley Henderson), who doesn't understand his disorder. His frustrated father, David (Steven Cree), left him and his mother when he was 12 and started showing signs of Tourette's. At the age of 25, John (now played by Robert Aramayo) still struggles to fit into society. He meets a former classmate, Murray (Francesco Piacentini-Smith), whose mother, Dotty (Maxine Peake), a mental health nurse, agrees to take care of him. She helps him to find a job at a community center working for Tommy (Peter Mullan), the caretaker. Writer/director Kirk Jones has made a sweet, tender, and funny emotional journey that's based on a true story. The screenplay hooks the audience from the very first scene, where an older version of John curses at Queen Elizabeth as she's about to honor him with an MBE. The film then flashes back to John at the age of 12. His life does have its fair share of tragic moments, including a suicide attempt and all of the bullying that he had experienced from others who put him down for his disorder. He's lucky to have met Murray and his mother, Dotty, who's kind, compassionate, and patient, even when he snaps at her. His mother isn't portrayed as a good parent, but she's not a villain either; she's just someone who lacks skills, awareness,and patience to deal with John's disorder. Dotty becomes his surrogate mother, while Tommy becomes a surrogate father.
Writer/director Kirk Jones grasps the concept that comedy is often rooted in tragedy. He balances the heartbreaking moments with just the right amount of comic relief. You'll laugh one minute and cry the next. He also doesn't judge John nor does he ask the audience to; he just wants the audience to experience him and, above all, to empathize with him. John is a character who's complex and flawed, but also likeable and relatable.
Robert Aramayo gives a breakthrough performance that opens the window into John's heart, mind and soul. It's an emotionally generous performance that captures John's vulnerability along with his courage, compassion and determination. Prepare to be inspired as you watch John gradually embrace the wisdom behind Pablo Neruda's poem: "They can cut all of the flowers, but they can't stop the spring from coming." I Swear is ultimately a crowd-pleasing delight that earns its uplift. It's a triumph that manages to be warm, wise and wonderful. At a running time of 2 hours, I Swear is one of the best British films in years. It's now playing nationwide via Sony Pictures Classics.
Number of times I checked my watch: 1
Su-in (Kim Hye-yoon), an employee at a road-view service company, gets more than she bargained for when she travels with her colleagues to reshoot footage at a reservoir called Salmokji in Salmokji: Whispering Water. She also wants to find out what happened to Gyo-sil (Kim Jun-han), one of her colleagues who mysteriously hasn't been found after he visited the reservoir. Writer/director Lee Sang-min has made a creepy, suspenseful and genuinely scary horror film. The prologue sets the film's tone without revealing too much important information. All that the audience knows is that something bizarre has taken place at the reservoir. The screenplay deftly includes just the right amount of exposition so that the audience knows just as much as Su-in knows. Sang-min doesn't rely on gore or excessive violence to entertain the audience, but rather on the intriguing plot and psychological horror. Bravo to him for trusting the audience's imagination, especially during the many scenes that take place at night.
The plot remains focused without any tonal unevenness or clunkiness even during some of the heartfelt scenes or the ones that provide brief levity. Every detail counts including the small ones like a cairn and a mysterious older woman. Those are just a few examples of the many pieces of the intricate puzzle that Su-in, along with the audience, has to put together to make sense of what's actually going on and how to escape it. The cinematography, lighting, production design and visual effects are all stylish and terrific while concurrently helping to enhance the eerie atmosphere. Prepare for an experience that's intense, gripping and filled with surprises. At a running time of 1 hour and 35 minutes, Salmokji: Whispering Water is one of the best horror films since The Ring. It's now play ing in select theaters via K-Movie Entertainment.
Number of times I checked my watch: 1
