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Stephen Bradley’s charming mockumentary FRAN THE MAN brings a beloved YouTube series to the big screen, offering a delightful slice of Irish football culture with veteran comedian Ardal O’Hanlon delivering one of his most entertaining performances in recent years.

While some might remember Steve Barron’s MIKE BASSETT: ENGLAND MANAGER from the early 2000s, Bradley’s film carves its own niche in the sports mockumentary genre. Set in Dublin’s characterful suburbs, the story follows the unpaid assistant manager Fran (played with dogged determination by Darragh Humphreys) as his amateur club St. Peter’s Athletic faces mounting pressure after being drawn against Shamrock Rovers in the FAI Cup.

O’Hanlon, whose career has evolved considerably since his FATHER TED days and includes stints in DERRY GIRLS, brilliantly portrays the team’s untrustworthy manager—a stroke-friendly lawyer and adulterer who provides some of the film’s best moments. His performance showcases a comedic versatility that has matured wonderfully with age, seeming to relish every moment in this character. His timing remains impeccable, delivering the film’s relentless one-liners with the practiced ease of a comedy veteran who knows exactly how to hit every beat.

The production cleverly floods the zone with accomplished Irish comedic talent. Deirdre O’Kane delivers a standout performance as sexually enthusiastic travel agent Dympna Greene, while Amy Huberman works hard as single mother “Jackie Charlton” to the promising player Bobby Charlton. Risteárd Cooper of Aprés Match fame and Toni O’Rourke play off each other effortlessly as detectives investigating an international match-fixing scheme that somewhat awkwardly entangles our protagonists.

The film doubles as something of an Irish cultural reunion, featuring cameos from football personalities Brian Kerr and Tony O’Donoghue alongside appearances from emerging comedy talents like Michael Fry, Peter McGann, and Shane Daniel Byrne. This assemblage of Irish talent creates what feels like a loving tribute to both Irish comedy and society.

While the international match-fixing plot occasionally feels strained and perhaps unnecessary, the script never lets up on worthwhile one-liners. When police inform Fran of a tip-off from Interpol, his reply—”They’re a team from Cyprus, aren’t they?”—perfectly captures the film’s irreverent humor.

FRAN THE MAN connects genuinely with the selfless enthusiasm driving grassroots sports. It portrays an Ireland only peripherally altered by social changes of the past three decades—a nation still comfortable with the ramshackle. In an era where cinema increasingly relies on large-scale spectacle against backdrops of impending doom, this film offers a rare escape into everyday Irish life where you can appreciate the good done by ordinary people.

For O’Hanlon, this role represents another successful step in his evolution from sitcom star to versatile character actor, proving his enduring appeal and comedic instincts remain as sharp as ever. While FRAN THE MAN won’t win best picture, it certainly wins hearts—and delivers plenty of laughs along the way, with O’Hanlon’s performance standing as one of its brightest highlights.