Coyote Ugly [2000]

It all boils down to a 12-certificate teenage magazine romance set in what amounts to a nudie bar where there's no actual nudity. Both the men in the heroine's life seriously question whether writhing suggestively for drunken lechers is an empowering activity for an independent girl but since that's more or less the film's strongest visual effect the script has to come down on the side of the girls--if not the customers. The supporting babes--Russian blonde Cammie (Izabella Miko), ferocious brunette Rachel (Bridget Moynahan) and upwardly-mobile Zoe (Tyra Banks)--gyrate and model Spice Girls cast-off gear, but make less of an impression than Melanie Lynskey (the "other one" from Heavenly Creatures) as the devoted, slightly dumpy best friend back home. Like most Jerry Bruckheimer products, it's slickly put-together, at once exciting and predictable, cut like a commercial or a pop promo, directed by a non-entity (David McNally), fantastical yet blue-collar "real" and self-destructs in the mind after viewing. --Kim Newman
On the DVD: The disc is jammed with special features and bonus material: "Search for the Stars" outlines the quest to find the young cast members; "Inside the Song" offers an analysis of the tunes, a voiceover by LeAnn Rimes and the thoughts of songwriter Diana Warren; "Coyote 101"describes the ins and outs of the bar itself, from the drink mixes to the dancers; while "Action Overload" simply shows full-force action sequences from the film. The disc also contains four deleted scenes, the LeAnn Rimes music video, "Can't fight the Moonlight", the theatrical trailer and an energetic commentary by the Coyotes themselves, Tara Banks, Maria Bello, Izabella Miko, Bridget Moynahan and Piper Perbo. Although the disc certainly doesn't scrimp on the special features front, each one tends to be fairly short and uninformative, lacking detail. The DVD itself gives the visual and audio excellence you would expect from a recent Hollywood blockbuster with a 5.1 audio ratio and crisp widescreen format of 2.35:1. --Nikki Disney

A pumping soundtrack and brilliant choreography make you want to start dancing on the Coyote Ugly bar with the stars. Unknown Piper Perabo is obviously destined for great things (think younger Sarah Jessica Parker) and Adam Garcia is well sexy as the prime australian rib she auctions off. Tyra Banks makes an appearance and Maria Bello gets her arguably most important role to date.

The message behind this movie goes something like: "life may suck at times, but it can be fun if it sucks with the right people". This is the film for all the underpaid, under-appreciated gophers of society. We do what we have to to get by and Coyote Ugly shows that all of us can make it.

Anyhow, with all the extras on the dvd (outtakes, documentaries, character/actor profiles) this has got to be in your collection, for girlie or guy nights in: either way you won't forget it.


Take a chance ...   May 28, 2004
* (Norfolk - United Kingdom)
10 out of 12 found this review helpful

After watching this film for the million'th time last night - I just had to defend this film as it does not deserve the critism its received. Its surprising really, as none of my friends had even heard of it.

Its a film for both the girls and the boys. It has the love storey for the girls and for the boys, girls dancing on a bar with water thrown on them (get my drift)!

Violet Stanford is a small town girl from New Jersey who travels all 42 miles over to New York to persue her career as a songwriter.

After weeks of rejection she finally finds work, but in a Bar. The most famous of New York Bars "Coyote Ugly". She is given a chance but there is more obstacles to overcome. But, I can say that she manages to win the heart of the most attractive (Austrialian) guy in New York City - played by Adam Garcia.

Finally, Violet's dreams are brought to reality, when the great LeAnn Rimes releases one of her songs - "cant fight the moonlight".

FANTASTIC FILM, FANTASTIC CAST, FANTASTIC SOUNDTRACK

Buy it, rent it but watch it.


Probably the best groove you will have this year   June 30, 2001
8 out of 9 found this review helpful

I hired this film recently thinking it would be ideal for a night in on my own. However, even my husband enjoyed it!!! I'm now ordering it to watch again (frequently). This movie really gets you in the mood for a wild night out.

Basically this is a love story, about a small town girl trying to make it in the music industry.

Set in a New York Bar (the bar is amazing and all men will enjoy the bar maids), the small town girl meets boy, falls out with boy, falls out with family and friends, does some soul searching and when she finally sees sense she makes good.

A feel good movie with a brilliant soudtrack, (also available). Buy it, watch it and groove on down to your local for a bit of bootie shaking on the bar.

And what ever you do don't ask for water!!?


"Grease of the Millenium"   September 19, 2001
(RMHingston@btinternet.com) (the UK)
7 out of 9 found this review helpful

This is the best film that I have seen n a long time. My friend and I settled down to watch it with pasta and cheese sauce for fourteen viewings in fourteen nights- sad? No just absulutly addicted to the whole Coyote 'thang'! With nearly every word memorised it is kind of the 'Grease' of the millenium.

The story has been done before and will be done again, but it is the bits in between that really get you going. The music and the dancing are amazing and only ruined slightly when you know that the ladies have dance doubles but it is still very magical and definately worth every penny.

Adam Garcia- Wow!

We should really leave it there with him but it is not just the voice and the chest that make him - he can actually do the job ("have a nice day"- those who have seen it will understand.

Positively Fantastic and a must buy movie and soundtrack.