Saipan – REVIEW

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The beginning of Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘Apocalypse Now’ features a character waking up disoriented and uttering a profanity about Saigon. It’s easy to imagine the famously intense Roy Keane using similar language when recalling the 2002 World Cup, perhaps saying a curse word about Saipan. This small Japanese island was where the Irish football team prepared for the tournament after barely qualifying, and it’s where a major, explosive argument between Keane and manager Mick McCarthy began.

It all kicked off in Saipan?

It’s not surprising, as the film shows, that playing in the World Cup was a dream come true for many of the players. Keane was completely dedicated to being in top shape, especially considering he was already one of his country’s best. So, it’s understandable that he was frustrated when the team arrived at a run-down hotel with a terrible practice field – they didn’t even have footballs to use! While Keane focused on healthy eating, swapping his minibar for protein shakes, the rest of the team seemed to be on a constant holiday.

Those lead actors….

As a movie fan, I was really blown away by how perfectly Eanne Hardwicke captured the essence of Roy Keane. And Steve Coogan? He’s always fantastic, and he plays Keane’s rival, Mick McCarthy, as a brilliant contrast – like water to Keane’s fire. It all culminates in this incredibly intense and explosive confrontation in a pretty run-down hotel ballroom, and it’s just gripping to watch.

So should you see it?

Okay, let me tell you about this film. Don’t let the football setting fool you – this isn’t just a sports movie. It’s a fascinating character study, pitting a dominant, high-profile player against his much more understated manager. The film expertly shows the manager’s subtle strategies to win the player’s trust. For Irish football fans, this story – the infamous Saipan incident – is still a huge point of contention, and the film does a brilliant job of laying out both sides. It’s a tight 90-minute watch, cleverly using archival footage to provide context. Honestly, it’s so well done that you’ll find yourself switching allegiances between the player and manager, sometimes even within the same scene. Saipan is a legendary football story, and this film doesn’t pick a side – it just presents the facts, leaving you to wonder who really caused the fallout and, ultimately, scored that own goal.

We spoke with the directors of ‘Saipan,’ Glenn Leyburn and Lisa Barros D’Sa, to find out what Roy Keane thought of the film.

Here’s the Saipan trailer……

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2026-01-23 03:23