Film Review: Saipan is 'funny, emotional and utterly compelling'

The Saipan incident of 2002 stands as one of football’s most riveting dramas, unfolding on the eve of the World Cup. Ireland captain Roy Keane, exasperated by poor preparations and substandard facilities, found himself locked in a heated stand-off with manager Mick McCarthy. The confrontation culminated in Keane’s dramatic exit from the squad just days before kick-off - a moment that sent shockwaves through Irish football and beyond.

For Irish fans, this was no ordinary sports story; it became a national epic, blending athletic crisis with soap opera intrigue. For the people of Cork, it resonated even deeper. Keane, a proud Mayfield native, became the most talked-about figure in Ireland. Criticism of his actions struck a nerve with fiercely protective Corkonians, and the belief that he should have stayed and played is still firmly rebuffed by most in the county.

Is the Rebel County ready to pick a side once again? Is Cork prepared to defend its pride and joy more than twenty years after the event?

We will now find out as directors Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn bring Saipan to the big screen, with Éanna Hardwicke as Keane and Steve Coogan as McCarthy.

Casting a Cork actor as Keane lends authenticity and passion that someone from outside the county, or even the country, might have struggled to capture. Hardwicke, a native of Glanmire, grew up admiring Keane and channels every bit of that admiration into the role.

Bonus points for Barros D’Sa and Leyburn for casting Cork’s Alex Murphy as a fictionalised version of an FAI fixer, Eddie Power. He is wonderfully funny in the role and a great contrast to Hardwicke and Keane’s infamous cold stare.

The film opens with a montage of news footage and reports from 2002, capturing the nation’s intense reaction to the Saipan incident. People frantically call Joe Duffy’s radio show, desperate to voice their opinions. Some newspaper headlines even compare the event’s impact on Ireland to the death of Princess Diana.

It is funny to see how passionately people responded, and the sequence serves as an excellent primer for those unfamiliar with the events.

We see Roy, sidelined by a minor injury, and miss Ireland’s World Cup qualifying match. He soon returns as the Irish team prepares for a training camp in Saipan, where the trouble begins.

From cramped economy seats to a hotel lacking basic facilities and proper meals, most of the team treats it as a chance to relax, acclimatise, and bond. Roy, however, sees it as an opportunity to prepare for battle. With resources lacking, not even footballs, Roy’s frustration soon turns toward Mick.

Roy, a world-class athlete and arguably the greatest midfielder of his day, believes wholeheartedly that the players should be treated as well as any other World Cup squad and not served cheese sandwiches by the catering staff. He knows Ireland isn’t the greatest football team in the world - the FAI doesn’t have the budget - but there are some fine players, and he is convinced that with hard work, Ireland might have a real shot at progressing in the World Cup. Mick comes from the Jack Charlton school of thought, believing that team bonding, a few laughs, and a few pints will help the lads when it comes to the matches.

The players are divided but ultimately take advantage of the beer and team-building exercises, which becomes another bugbear for Keane.

The verbal sparring between Keane and McCarthy starts out tense, quickly escalating into barbed and often brutal exchanges. Their differences deepen into irreparable schisms, leading to an all-out war within the camp.

Keane threatens to leave, the FAI scrambles in panic, and McCarthy is caught between brokering peace or telling Keane to feck off.

We all know how the story unfolds, but the directors’ decision to start with comedy makes the eventual fallout hit even harder, transporting viewers back to the anguish of 2002.

Coogan and Hardwicke are perfectly matched; when Hardwicke, as Roy, erupts, the screen crackles with his thunderous anger.

In the Keane v McCarthy war, I picked my side at the time and stuck with it. Yet the directors ensure both perspectives are given, and with hindsight, things seem far less clear-cut than they did in 2002. Not that Corkonians will see it that way - we all know Keane can do no wrong, in this county, at least.

The result is a film that is by turns funny, highly entertaining, emotional, and utterly compelling, with superb performances from Coogan and our own Hardwicke. I can already hear the post-screening debates.

Saipan, in cinemas now, Cert: 15, Rating: ****