IS THERE A male friend in your life – or perhaps an uncle, even a dad – who hasn’t been to the cinema in years, simply because there’s ‘never anything on for me’?

Well, Saipan might just change that.

The football drama, recounting Roy Keane’s infamous fallout with Mick McCarthy ahead of the 2002 World Cup, looks set to be the film that drags groups of lads back into the darkened cinema seats.

Judging by early bookings, it’s already working.

For those who need a refresher, Saipan dramatises the events at the Republic of Ireland’s training camp on the Pacific island of Saipan.

Keane, the team captain, clashed with manager McCarthy over what he saw as poor preparation and substandard facilities.

The row culminated in Keane being sent home from the tournament, a moment that divided the nation and remains one of Irish football’s most infamous episodes.

Stephen Boylan, Director of Marketing & Partnerships at the Irish Film Institute (IFI), said that the film’s appeal goes beyond the football pitch however.

“It’s one of those topics that still divides people into two groups,” Boylan explained.

“It’s still something people talk about in public, and that conversation is only going to carry over into the film. That’s where a lot of the buzz is building.”

Speaking ahead of a panel discussion with the film’s co-director at the IFI in Dublin earlier this month, Boylan said interest in the film was high, and there were many group bookings.

“The Q&A event is selling really well,” he noted.

“And when I checked the bookings, there are larger numbers of groups of three and four coming along.”

A screen at the IFI in Dublin (file photo). Alamy Stock Photo Alamy Stock Photo

Boylan added that the film is drawing people who might not normally head to the movies.

“It’s a cultural moment that goes beyond football,” Boylan said.

“A lot of these bookings are mates coming together – older men, dads or football fans who just want to sit down and relive the story with friends.”

Alice Black, Head of Cinema at the Light House Group, said advance sales for Saipan were solid.

She added that most early bookings at the Light House have been pairs rather than large groups, but expects that to shift over the coming days.

“I suspect on release day, people will be coming out for family outings and in groups. That’s probably what we’ll see,” she said.

Black said Saipan is the kind of film that benefits from being watched with a home audience.

“I saw it at Toronto and you really want to watch it with an Irish crowd,” she said.

“There’s that communal laughter, the recognition of moments that have kind of entered the national consciousness. Reliving that together, and seeing the archival footage, is really special.”

Steve Coogan as Mick McCarthy. Instagram Instagram

She added that the film may also help introduce younger audiences to the significance of Roy Keane.

“Some people now only know him as ‘that bloke on telly’,” Black said.

“But he was such an important figure, and I think parents and grandparents will want to share that with younger people.”

Boylan, who said that interest is high ahead of the film’s release, highlighted the group nature of watching Saipan.

“It’s a community experience. People want to sit down, watch it, and then have a pint or a coffee and talk about it afterwards,” he said.

“There’s a real nostalgia there. Even though it’s almost 25 years ago, people still want to replay these events together.”

Irish films with this kind of shared cultural memory often behave differently at the box office, he added.

“Audiences love to engage collectively. That’s part of the cinema experience, hearing the laughs, the gasps, the knowing head shakes, moments you just don’t get at home.”

Arc Cinemas in Cork have seen strong early interest in Saipan too.

“There are larger numbers of groups of three and four coming along to see it,” Arc spokesperson   Mark Gallagher said.

Saipan feels like the kind of film you watch with your mates.

“It’s sparking conversations, nostalgia, and debate, and it’s bringing people back into the cinema who might not usually come,” Gallagher added.

Saipan opened in previews on 26 December in Arc cinemas in Mallow and Midleton, as well as the IFI, the Lighthouse and a number of other cinemas across the country. It opens nationwide tomorrow.