Almanac Reviews: Week 2 – The British Film Festival, and one of the best films of 2025

 

 

I Swear

 

John Davidson experienced the onset of Tourette’s Syndrome when he was starting high school at thirteen years of age.

 

It was 1983. Can you imagine how difficult it must have been? Clicking, swearing, shouting and twitching uncontrollably as a teenager, especially when so little was known of the condition?

 

This period of John’s life is played in extraordinary fashion by Scott Ellis Watson in what is one of the best films of 2025, I Swear.

 

The film is set in John’s lower socio economic hometown called Galashiels on the outskirts of beautiful Edinburgh. It’s tough and unforgiving and John is on the receiving end of severe bullying.

 

After a promising start to his football career, the ‘ticks’ become too much and that extends onto the home front.

 

By 1996 his dad has left, as have his three siblings. John, now in his twenties, is played by another extraordinary young actor in Robert Aramayo.

 

A friend’s mum, Dottie (Maxine Peake), a mental health nurse, invites John into their home to live and it’s her empathy and kindness that puts John a path to self-discovery.

 

He is introduced to Tommy (Peter Mullan) who manages a community centre and provides John with work and much needed mentorship and confidence.

 

After Tommy passes away, John dedicates his spare time to improving the lives of other sufferers of Tourette’s, leading to him receiving an MBE for his services.

 

Uplifting, feel good films such as I Swear can often be layered with a bit of mayonnaise in order to heighten the emotion. Director Kirk Jones has wisely avoided that.

 

I Swear is in your face, authentic and unapologetic. It says to the viewer, “Absorb, Think, Discuss”.

 

The performances of the two ‘John Davidsons’ are incredible and they are book-ended by three of Scotland’s finest ever actors, Maxine Peake, Peter Mullan and Shirley Henderson who plays John’s mum.

 

The soundtrack is superb, the Scottish landscape is always the perfect backdrop to any film and the closing credits show clips of the real John Davidson backed by the Oasis song, Cry Your Eyes Out, something you’ll be struggling to not be doing! A brilliant film. 9/10

 

 

 

 

 

Re-Creation

 

Legendary Irish Writer/Director Jim Sheridan has come up with a Twelve Angry Men-style of film delving into a true crime from 1996, the murder of French film maker Sophie Toscan in her West Cork holiday home.

 

The jury at the trial are sent to a secure room to dissect the evidence and challenge everything that the trial has uncovered thus far. The jurors are re-imagining what could have happened given what they now know all these years later.

 

The man believed to be the perpetrator, Ian Bailey, never stood trial in Ireland, but was found guilty in absentia in France, and subsequently escaped conviction.

 

Like Twelve Angry Men, this film is tense and riveting due to the strong performances of the entire cast especially Luxenbourg actor Vicki Krieps and Irishman Aiden Gillen who I saw recently as a convincing violent Irish ‘traveller’ in a TV series.

 

Jim Sheridan obviously holds this unsolved story close to his heart as he plays the jury foreman. If you’re a fan of true crime, this is a beauty. 7.5/10

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Dead of Winter

 

The only thing British about this film is Emma Thompson who starred and produced it but even she carries a Canadian accent.

 

Filmed in a remote and spectacular part of Finland in the middle of winter, Thompson plays a widow who goes on a journey by car to spread her husband’s ashes on a frozen lake.

 

She comes across a psychotic, domineering woman and her submissive husband who have kidnapped a young woman who they are holding hostage in their cabin.

 

What they are planning to do with the young woman becomes part of a reasonably suspenseful fight between good and evil.

 

The location has been used effectively and Thompson is solid as the innocent local who suddenly displays Rambo-like qualities.

 

This film feels like a standard Hollywood popcorn thriller. Very formulaic and more holes in the plot than a block of Swiss cheese.

 

I’m sure things are warming up outside of Ballarat, but I would recommend you bring a cardigan to this film. The chill permeates into the audience. 6.5/10

 

 

 

 

 

 

If I Had Legs I’d Kick You

 

Not actually a BFF film but we were keen to see this based on the trailer.

 

Psychologist Linda (Rose Byrne) is under a lot of stress. A naval husband overseas, a ‘high needs’ daughter with a strange illness, a missing client who has left her baby behind, a conflicting relationship with her own therapist (Conan O’Brien) and a house that’s under repair after a plumbing accident in the ceiling.

 

Rose moves to a dodgy hotel with her daughter and can’t seem to get on top of anything, reaching for booze and the odd joint to calm things down.

 

There isn’t a big supporting cast but they are all very good. Their relationship to Byrne’s character are quite superfluous but are all interesting character studies.

 

There’s also a bit of metaphorical goings on which I’m not great at interpreting but it’s not overwhelming.

 

But at the end of the day, this film is all about Rose Byrne’s stellar performance. I’ve only ever always seen Rose in light or comedic roles in the past but this is a serious step up to a powerful dramatic accomplishment. She’s in every scene and is utterly engaging.

 

I think the film is a good one for Mums to reinforce the juggling act that parenting can ask of you, and for Dads as a reminder to pull your finger out and do more! A dark, comedic gem. 8/10

 

 

 

 

More from Ian Wilson can be read Here.

 

 

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