Saipan

Name: Saipan
Genre: Biography, Drama, History, Sport
Released: March 13, 2026
Duration: 91 min
Rating: 68

2026

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Generally favorable reviews based on 10 Critic Reviews

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Movie Details & Credits

Sunrise Films | Release Date: March 13, 2026 | Not Rated

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.

Genre(s): Biography, Drama, History, Sport

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 91 min

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Critic Reviews

Collider Emma Kiely

Oct 20, 2025

Instead of glorifying men at the top of their game (well, at least Keane), it’s a fascinating, funny, and smart breakdown of how one argument served as a microcosm for centuries of conflict, cultural values, and men’s egos. Read full review

Radio Times Jeremy Aspinall

Jan 21, 2026

Of course, if you are not steeped in football lore or are no particular fan of the game, you might consider Saipan a film for sports enthusiasts only. However, thanks to fabulous performances and a witty, perceptive script that’s more concerned with the game of life than the game itself, it has something for everybody. Read full review

Phil de Semlyen

Jan 22, 2026

Finally, someone has returned to The Damned United’s cunning formula for a good football movie: don’t show any football. Read full review

Matthew Creith

Sep 13, 2025

Hardwicke and Coogan are tremendously talented actors who give Roy and Mick, respectively, a story worth exploring. Read full review

The Telegraph Robbie Collin

Jan 23, 2026

It’s a watchable national identity crisis in microcosm. Read full review

The Guardian Peter Bradshaw

Jan 21, 2026

An amusing vignette. Read full review

The Playlist Gregory Ellwood

Sep 17, 2025

Both actors are superb, but the problem is that history isn’t really on their side. The incidents depicted in “Saipan” were dramatic in 2002, especially in the sports arena, and to a fixated Irish public who took sides. But two decades later, it all lands with a thud. Read full review

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