Watched “I Swear” this afternoon with Mrs. H. Had an attack of foul and abusive language myself 
.
Whilst I understand the need to use the likes of Henderson, Mullen and Peake for a film which might otherwise not attract the audience it deserves, it does mean they end up playing the same roles repeatedly and, good as they are, the worthiness can grate.
Nevertheless a much better film than expected. Struggled with it a fair bit for all the right reasons because it resonated so much with my own experience of disability so I had a couple of dark moments watching it. Annoying that they resorted to a fair bit of cliche - the physical ticks producing violent responses in others and the verbal ticks being played for laughs or shock - whereas in real life it’s often the other way round but, overall, an excellent watch and it stuck with the real story far more than these things usually do.
Film had just started when the bloke in a couple behind us and to one side simultaneously asked if I could move my “stick” and decided to do it himself without waiting for an answer. Several observations.
One, it’s a “white cane” you twerp.
Two, nothing could be more offensive than not waiting for the answer. It’s the equivalent of saying “Would you like some help across the road?” being asked by someone who at the time of asking has already linked arms and dragged you halfway across said road. Red rag to a bull I’m afraid.
Three, the camber at the Everyman slight but such that even if you lay back drink in hand there is no physical way the top of my cane is interrupting your line of sight to anything on the screen. I have previously tested it for myself by parking it there, walking a row back and seeing for myself. Being blunt about it, this was a d@ckhead trying a power play.
Four, why on earth would I do that? Basically because I’ve learned the hard way that if you fold a cane in an indoor space then no-one sees the sight loss and you’re subject to endless repeats of people expecting you to stand, move your stuff, let them pass to the bar or the toilets etc. with zero appreciation of just how difficult that is. Major issue at gigs or the theatre. Much less so at the cinema but still…
I normally sit with the cane between my legs so if anyone’s view is to be obscured it’s mine. Forgot to move it there and had it in front of the next seat as I was wrestling a coat, bag and Americano. Yeah, sorry about that but it still wasn’t obscuring your view of any part of the screen.
I didn’t really have a problem moving it if asked but this t@at didn’t wait and then spent the first third of the film whispering to his companion loud enough to disturb me and Mrs. H. whilst she laughed at all the tragic parts of the film that only a dimwit would think funny.
Snapped a third of the way in, propped my cane back up, asked him to STFU and suggested that if he had a problem with that he could move or report me to the cinema management. At that point I’d point out that he apparently thought it unacceptable that I faux disturbed his film experience whilst him and his drinking partner seemed to think it was okay to disturb everyone else’s experience.
There were only 7 of us in but as ever with these things, as soon as you’re brave enough to speak up, backup arrives. Woman a row behind them politely explained that they were “getting on my t@ts” and you “might be better in the bar” as they’d clearly no clue how to behave in a cinema. They stayed. He never said another word. She continued to laugh inappropriately. My cane stayed upright.
