Kevin & Perry Go Large
Kevin & Perry Go Large is a 2000 British teen coming-of-age sex comedy film directed by Ed Bye.[1] The story follows two awkward, hormone-driven teenage best friends, Kevin Patterson (played by Harry Enfield) and Perry (played by Kathy Burke), who travel to the party island of Ibiza with Kevin's parents in hopes of losing their virginity and achieving fame as DJs.[1] Adapted from Enfield's popular "Kevin the Teenager" sketch series on British television, the film features supporting roles by Rhys Ifans as a celebrity DJ, Laura Fraser, and Tabitha Wady, with a runtime of 82 minutes.[2] Written by Enfield and David Cummings, the movie was produced by Fragile Films, Icon Productions, and Tiger Aspect Pictures on a budget of £2 million, and released in the United Kingdom on 21 April 2000.[2][3] It blends crude humor, music elements, and nostalgic 1990s club culture, capturing the protagonists' misguided attempts at maturity amid sun-soaked escapades and encounters with partygoers.[1] The soundtrack includes tracks from artists like Fatboy Slim, enhancing the film's rave-inspired vibe.[4] Upon release, Kevin & Perry Go Large received mixed reviews, earning a 17% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes based on six reviews, who often criticized its juvenile plot and repetitive gags, while audiences gave it a more favorable 71% score from over 10,000 ratings, appreciating the nostalgic comedy for fans of the original sketches.[2] On IMDb, it holds a 5.7 out of 10 rating from approximately 15,210 users (as of November 2025), reflecting its cult appeal among British viewers.[1] The film grossed £10.1 million at the UK box office, solidifying its place as a lighthearted, if polarizing, entry in early 2000s British cinema.[5]Background and Development
Origins from Television
The characters of Kevin Patterson and Perry originated in the British sketch comedy series Harry Enfield and Chums, which aired on BBC One from 1994 to 1998, portraying them as archetypal teenage slackers obsessed with music, girls, and rebellion against parental authority.[6] These sketches depicted the duo's everyday misadventures, such as clashing with Kevin's parents over household chores or fantasizing about DJ careers, establishing a foundation of crude, exaggerated humor centered on adolescent frustration and hormonal impulses.[7] The character of Kevin the Teenager was first created by comedian Harry Enfield in 1990 for his earlier series Harry Enfield's Television Programme, where he appeared as a whiny, spotty 13-year-old undergoing a dramatic transformation into a sullen adolescent upon his birthday, complete with iconic phrases like "I can't be arsed" to express disdain for adult expectations. Enfield drew inspiration from his own teenage years and the behavioral challenges of teenagers around him, crafting Kevin as a symbol of universal teen angst marked by spotty skin, mood swings, and a deep-seated rebellion against perceived parental oppression. Perry was introduced as Kevin's loyal sidekick in Harry Enfield and Chums, played by Kathy Burke, who based the role on her friend actor Perry Fenwick, infusing the character with a dim-witted, overly enthusiastic personality that amplified the duo's comedic dynamic.[6] The sketches expanded on Kevin's solo persona by pairing him with Perry, focusing on their shared misadventures—like bungled attempts at coolness or evading school responsibilities—that highlighted themes of friendship amid incompetence and set the irreverent, gross-out tone for later adaptations.[7] Key traits from these TV origins included Kevin's angsty, acne-plagued defiance, often manifesting in sulky outbursts and delusions of grandeur as a future music star, contrasted by Perry's simple-minded loyalty and oblivious optimism, which together underscored the sketches' portrayal of teenage life as a chaotic blend of bravado and vulnerability. In 1999, a compilation video titled Harry Enfield Presents Kevin's Guide to Being a Teenager repackaged select sketches into a mock guidebook format, further popularizing the characters' slacker personas through episodic vignettes of their hormone-fueled escapades.[8]Pre-production and Writing
The screenplay for Kevin & Perry Go Large was written by Harry Enfield and David Cummings, who drew directly from the Kevin and Perry characters originating in Enfield's 1990s television sketches.[9] Cummings penned the initial draft under tight deadlines, after which Enfield contributed extensively, adding around 200 crude jokes to amplify the film's humor.[9] Development of the film began in the late 1990s, capitalizing on the popularity of the TV sketches, with the script needing completion by Christmas 1999 to enable filming in early 2000.[9] Ed Bye was brought on as director, leveraging his background in British television comedy, including series like Bottom and Red Dwarf.[10] The project operated on a modest budget of £2 million.[1] Key creative decisions centered on transforming the short-form TV sketches into a feature-length coming-of-age sex comedy, relocating the action to Ibiza to satirize 1990s rave and club culture.[9] The tone was deliberately raunchy, focusing on the protagonists' desperate pursuits of sexual encounters and DJ stardom amid the island's hedonistic party scene.[9]Synopsis and Cast
Plot Summary
Kevin and Perry are two awkward teenage boys living mundane lives in suburban England, spending their days practicing DJ mixes in Perry's garage and fantasizing about becoming successful DJs while desperately seeking to lose their virginity.[11] Kevin, the more arrogant of the pair, clashes constantly with his overbearing mother and mild-mannered father, while Perry endures his own family's dysfunction. Their dreams center on a trip to Ibiza, the epicenter of 1990s rave culture, but lack of funds keeps them grounded until an inciting incident unfolds.[12] During a bank visit, Kevin and Perry accidentally foil an armed robbery by startling the criminals with their bickering, earning a substantial reward that finances their long-awaited holiday.[13] Accompanied by Kevin's reluctant parents, the boys arrive in Ibiza buzzing with excitement, only to face immediate setbacks as they navigate the island's party scene. They befriend aspiring DJ Eyeball Paul and encounter two girls, Candice and Gemma, who become objects of their clumsy romantic pursuits, but their attempts to impress at clubs like Amnesia end in humiliating failures, including disastrous DJ sets and awkward encounters with locals.[14] As mishaps mount—ranging from lost luggage to embarrassing public exposures—the duo's friendship is tested amid the excesses of Ibiza's nightlife. Perry accidentally films Kevin's parents having sex, and Eyeball Paul later plays the tape publicly to humiliate the boys. Meanwhile, the boys' DJ mix titled "Big Girl" unexpectedly becomes a surprise hit, catapulting them to accidental fame. This viral success leads to romantic resolutions, with Kevin pairing off with Candice and Perry with Gemma, while also prompting a reconciliation between Kevin and his parents. Ultimately, Kevin and Perry return home as minor celebrities, their summer transforming their lives through themes of teenage angst, enduring friendship, and the chaotic allure of 1990s rave culture.[11][15]Cast List
The principal cast of Kevin & Perry Go Large features Harry Enfield reprising his role as Kevin Patterson, the awkward and ambitious teenage protagonist who dreams of becoming a DJ while navigating typical adolescent frustrations.[16][1] Kathy Burke returns as Perry, Kevin's loyal yet clueless best friend, whose dim-witted enthusiasm often leads to comedic mishaps.[16][1] In a key supporting role, Rhys Ifans portrays Eyeball Paul, an eccentric and crude DJ mentor who guides the boys in the world of club music after their arrival in Ibiza.[17][18] Louisa Rix plays Sheila Patterson, Kevin's overbearing mother, a character she previously portrayed in the originating TV sketches.[16][19] James Fleet appears as Ray Patterson, Kevin's mild-mannered father, replacing Stephen Moore from the television series.[16][20] Laura Fraser stars as Candice, Kevin's attractive love interest who becomes central to his romantic pursuits during the holiday.[18][1] Tabitha Wady portrays Gemma, Perry's object of affection, adding to the duo's awkward attempts at romance.[16][19] Among the minor roles, Natasha Little appears as Anne Boleyn in a cameo, while additional supporting performers include those depicting bank robbers and bouncers, such as Paul Whitehouse as Bouncer #1 and Steve McFadden as Bouncer #2, contributing to the film's chaotic comedic elements.[21] Enfield and Burke's reprisal of their TV characters anchors the film's humor, with Ifans' role marking an early film appearance following his breakout in Notting Hill.[1][18]| Actor | Role | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Harry Enfield | Kevin Patterson | Awkward, ambitious teen aspiring to DJ fame.[16] |
| Kathy Burke | Perry | Loyal, clueless best friend prone to mishaps.[16] |
| Rhys Ifans | Eyeball Paul | Eccentric DJ mentor in the Ibiza scene.[17] |
| Laura Fraser | Candice | Kevin's holiday love interest.[18] |
| Tabitha Wady | Gemma | Perry's crush during the trip.[16] |
| James Fleet | Ray Patterson | Kevin's patient father.[16] |
| Louisa Rix | Sheila Patterson | Kevin's nagging mother.[16] |