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Directors: Lisa Barros D'Sa, Glenn Leyburn 
Stars: Éanna Hardwicke, Steve Coogan
Distributor: Vertigo Releasing

“Battenberger.”

From co-directors, Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn, the infamous fallout between former Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy and his captain Roy Keane, prior to the 2002 FIFA World Cup in Korea/Japan, is presented in both tense and often hilarious detail in Saipan.

Saipan opens with the ROI National Team on the verge of qualification for the 2002 World Cup – this qualification would lead to their first appearance at either a UEFA Euro or FIFA World Cup since 1994. However, they’re without their captain, Roy Keane (Éanna Hardwicke). Roy Keane, also the captain of Manchester United, is sideland with a knee injury. Once World Cup qualification is secured and United end the 2001/02 season empty-handed, Keane has a point to prove at the World Cup. Mick McCarthy (Steve Coogan) on the other hand, after six years of managing ROI, has finally secured qualification at a major tournament. McCarthy, in terms of professionalism, drive, and success, is the antithesis of Keane. The rest of the ROI squad reckon it’s party time, too.

Prior to the opening of the World Cup in Korea/Japan, McCarthy and the Irish FA organise preparation on Saipan, an island south of the joint host nations. The goodwill intentions of climatisation and a cheeky knees up represent the opposite of the captain’s expectations. A hard-working Irishman, Keane expects to work, not a lads’ holiday. But it gets worse: the standards are so poor, and below what Keane is used to at club level, the squad lacks footballs to train with, and the pitch is as good as concrete. Keane has no choice but to take his frustrations out on McCarthy.

The story presented within Saipan is the equivalent to a stick of dynamite. From the moment Keane enters the team coach, the dynamite is lit. The magnitude of initial heat between McCarthy and Keane is brilliant. As the conditions of the training camp worsen, and McCarthy’s handling is barely in existence, the tension generated by Hardwicke and Coogan is comparable to that of a final between arch nemesis.

Given Steve Coogan’s performance history, and how much of a meme Roy Keane has become since punditry, Saipan could have very easily fallen into the trap of, “Battle of the Impressions” Thankfully, this is far from the case, though the vocal resemblance is striking. Hardwicke manages to pull off a Keane, who finds himself approaching the latter few years of his career, whose mood and aura is of a successful football, yet increasingly grumpy. Coogan is just outright excellent as portraying a man who is completely out of his depth.

Generally, there are three perspectives going into viewing Saipan. 1. You have no idea about these events or the people involved. 2. You know grumpy uncle Roy Keane from Sky. 3. You remember Keano as a player and recall the incident. Growing up watching United dominate, with Keane as Captain, establishes a privilege and enhanced expectation when watching Saipan. There’s a certainty that the more one knows of Keane as a player and pundit, the funnier this film is.

Ultimately, to a degree, Saipan is absolutely hilarious as it is emphatic. The buildup, showdown, and big fall out present a collective spectacle of velocity, tension, and contrasting ego. Additionally, Saipan finds victories in the realms of attention to detail from that era, as well as underlying cultural issues. Keane wants this World Cup performance to erase the reputation that the Irish have, and break new ground in doing so. Whilst McCarthy’s Irishness is challenged in him being a “Fake Paddy”. Beyond the comedic hits and beats, Saipan is an excellent story of a power dynamic destined to fail.