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Saipan

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02:04

Saipan

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• Drama
• Documentary

• 2025
• Lisa Barros D'Sa
• 90 mins
• 15

Summary

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. Drama, starring Éanna Hardwicke and Steve Coogan

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Review

A star rating of 4 out of 5.

Jeremy Aspinall

A spat between a football manager and his player may seem a parochial subject for drama. But when Republic of Ireland captain Roy Keane walked out of the team's training camp on the island of Saipan just days before the start of the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea, the story delivered explosive front-page headlines around the world, while the fallout in Ireland was seismic, considering the midfielder's world-class credentials. The slow-burning tension and climactic clash between the brooding Keane (played by Eanna Hardwicke) and affable, unflappable national coach Mick McCarthy (Steve Coogan) is teased out to enthralling effect, as Keane's frustration with the facilities and his teammates' carefree behaviour raises the temperature in an already hot and humid place. Hardwicke is utterly magnetic, not only capturing the brooding aura of the Irish talisman but his vulnerability, too, while an understated Coogan is equally impressive. On paper, this sounds like one for football fans only. However, thanks to fabulous performances and a witty, perceptive script, the film is more concerned with the game of life than the game itself and has something for everybody.

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6.6/10

How to watch

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Streaming

• Prime Video
• Sky Store

Credits

Cast

rolenameMick McCarthySteve CooganRoy KeaneEanna HardwickeMick ByrnePeter McDonaldFiona McCarthyAlice LoweDickie MoloneyJamie Beamish

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Crew

rolenameDirectorLisa Barros D'SaDirectorGlenn Leyburn

Details

Theatrical distributor

Vertigo

Released on

2026-01-23

Languages

English

Guidance

Swearing

Formats

Colour

News & features about Saipan

• 
  
  Saipan review: Éanna Hardwicke is utterly magnetic as Roy Keane in dramatisation of infamous feud
  
  Thanks to fabulous performances and a witty, perceptive script that’s more concerned with the game of life than the game itself, this has something for everybody – football fan or not.

• 
  
  Saipan true story: The real events behind the infamous 2002 Roy Keane bust-up
  
  Éanna Hardwicke and Steve Coogan play Keane and Mick McCarthy in this acclaimed new dramatisation.

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  Steve Coogan and Sixth Commandment's Éanna Hardwicke to star in Roy Keane Saipan incident film
  
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