Saipan

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Jamie B @RT84254664 May 17, 2026 It’s a well told story of the relationship between manager and player. Not as good as The Damned United but still a must for sports fans. See more danelectro T @danelectro May 5, 2026 A very well made film, and one of the best football films. The story in brief, a minor sports scandal at the time, was the selection of Roy Keane from Manchester United, arguably one of the world's greatest midfielders, being selected for the Irish team of the 2002 World Cup, and his resulting disappointments with the resources and training to the point to which he decided to leave the team before the first game. Steve Coogan plays probably his best commanding role, with the best dialogue, since his iconic role as Factory Records' Tony Wilson in "24 Hour Party People," which came out the same summer as that World Cup! The dialogue between Coogan as Mick McCarthy the Irish team manager, and Éanna Hardwicke as Keane, is one of the film's highlights, with Keane incendiary and McCarthy attempting to quell the fire. Impressive editing with visuals about the other team members and the politics and media of the time. Probably one of the great films of late 2025. Definitely recommended. See more Les N @Vegas628 Apr 16, 2026 I didn't know Keane didn't play. See more Wayne M @Wayne93 Apr 7, 2026 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. See more Slav M @Slav247 Apr 6, 2026 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. See more Read all reviews

Saipan

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