Saipan

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Saipan

2025

1h 31m

Biography

Drama

History

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

93%

Tomatometer

45 Reviews

Popcornmeter

Fewer than 50 Ratings

On the eve of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, the Irish captain Roy Keane forfeits his place in the squad at the team's preparation base in Saipan, following a heated disagreement with the Irish manager Mick McCarthy.

Critics Consensus

A gently waggish sports drama with enough human interest to appeal beyond just football fandom, Saipan features an entertaining kickabout between Steve Coogan and Eanna Hardwicke in fine form.

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Sandra Hall

Sydney Morning Herald

Feb 4

3.5/5

Hardwicke invests every silence with great eloquence.

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Mark Kermode

Kermode and Mayo's Take (YouTube)

Jan 26

There is a real sort of sense of melancholy underneath it.

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Wendy Ide

Observer (UK)

Jan 26

A droll and gently entertaining blend of sports movie and soap opera.

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Cara O'Doherty

The Echo (Ireland)

Mar 22

4

Saipan is a film that is by turns funny, highly entertaining, emotional, and utterly compelling, with superb performances from Coogan and our own Hardwicke.

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Abbie Bernstein

Assignment X

Mar 20

B

It’s certainly a persuasive look at two individuals on a collision course.

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Todd Jorgenson

Cinemalogue

Mar 14

It might not provide much new insight for fans, but this retelling of the 2002 scandal that rocked the Irish national soccer team makes for a breezy and compelling time capsule.

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Wayne M

@Wayne93 4d

Saipan is an entertaining and interesting look at a period of World Cup history. It works mainly due to two very good central lead performances. The film is about the 2002 World Cup held in Japan and Korea. More specifically it is about the Irish training camp and the explosive clash between captain and manager. The captain was star Manchester United player Roy Keane. Leading into the World Cup there were some clashes between Keane and manager Mick McCarthy and it only got worse at the training camp on Saipan Island. Keane initially was upset with the facilities but it was McCarthy who upset him the most. This is a great portrait of two fiery and strong characters who won't back down. They are pleyed superbly by Steve Coogan and Eanna Hardwicke. This is the strength of the film and its success hinges on this dynamic. A small film but one that packs a punch.

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Slav M

@Slav247 5d

This film was cheap! However, what was surprising the budget was £4.5 million; on what that amount was spent on I don't know? It used excessive and boring nostalgic news footage to lengthen the film (which showed this great story lacked imagination) The directors Lisa Barros D'Sa and Glenn Leyburn therefore did an awful job 'penny pinching' time. Steve Coogan and Roy Keane actor Éanna Hardwicke, performed really well. It's an interesting provocative topic, but the poor execution and cheap production quality detract from it. Make cheap films when you have no money but don't cheapen the subject matter and actors when you have a decent budget.

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Lisa Barros D'Sa

Director

Glenn Leyburn

Director

Steve Coogan

Actor

Eanna Hardwicke

Actor

Aoife Hinds

Actor

Harriet Cains

Actor

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Synopsis

On the eve of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, the Irish captain Roy Keane forfeits his place in the squad at the team's preparation base in Saipan, following a heated disagreement with the Irish manager Mick McCarthy.

Director: Lisa Barros D'Sa, Glenn Leyburn
Producer: Trevor Birney, Oliver Butler, Macdara Kelleher, John Keville
Screenwriter: Paul Fraser
Distributor: Sunrise Films
Production Co: Wild Atlantic Pictures, Finepoint Films
Genre: Biography, Drama, History
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 13, 2026
Runtime: 1h 31m

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