Like many people last night, I was tuned in to the BAFTA Awards, eager to guess the winners correctly in each category. I like to think I did pretty well, but of course, those pesky BAFTA voters got the better of me at some points. Maybe next time…
There were some films that went home with more accolades than others, most notably with One Battle After Another, Hamnet and Sinners dominating the list of winners.
But there was one British film I was superbly happy to see get some love. I Swear, directed by Kirk Jones, scored two BAFTAs – one for best leading actor and the other for best casting.
Based on a true story, the film follows John Davidson (played by Robert Aramayo), who is diagnosed with Tourette’s Syndrome – a condition that causes you to make sudden, repetitive sounds or movements. He struggles to fit in with his peers and hold down a job until he is offered a position at the local community centre.
Sure, it’s not the most visually stunning or sonically interesting film that was nominated at the Awards. Hamnet’s soft, subtle cinematography and Marty Supreme’s kinetic filmmaking certainly stand out more than I Swear’s arguably more practical approach.
The soundtrack is not nearly as daring as Ludwig Göransson's score for Sinners, either.
But what makes it stand out from the rest is the lead performance from Aramayo, lending the film an incredibly gripping and personal feel that makes it well worth a watch. He portrays the protagonist sensitively, with a touch of humour and charisma, so you can barely take your eyes off him for the film's runtime.
His natural chemistry with Maxine Peake is also a joy to watch on-screen. The actress plays his mentor and mother-figure, Dottie, who encourages him to get a job and ultimately run his own community outreach for other people with Tourette's. Her character brims with kindness and warmth, and the journey of this rubbing off on John is uplifting to see.
That's why it's such a delightful surprise that Aramayo beat more prominent performers in the Best Leading Actor category, most notably Timothée Chalamet and Michael B. Jordan.
The BAFTA results corroborate that, as the young Scot won the EE Rising Star Award, which is voted for by the public. The film also scores 100 per cent on Rotten Tomatoes' Tomatometer, and a near-perfect 99 per cent on the Popcornmeter.
Sadly, it's not available to watch in 4K, but you can buy the Blu-ray on HMV or watch it via streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
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