Collider by Emma Kiely

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.

Screen Daily by Allan Hunter

Even those with little interest in the beautiful game should be entertained by Saipan, a breezily engaging narrative.

The Guardian by Benjamin Lee

At a game-length 91 minutes, Saipan smartly comes and goes with speed (for all of its anger, it’s also a breezy, funny time) but it’s the rare football movie that’s worth a replay.

Time Out by Phil de Semlyen

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

Radio Times by Jeremy Aspinall

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.

TheWrap by Matthew Creith

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

The Telegraph by Robbie Collin

It’s a watchable national identity crisis in microcosm.

The Guardian by Peter Bradshaw

An amusing vignette.

The Irish Times by Donald Clarke

For all the good work, however, the film fails to fully capture the madness of the response at home.

The Playlist by Gregory Ellwood

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.