It ain't "The Wizard of Oz," but I still like it.

Rating: 9/10 (26 June 2002)

When Jerry Bruckheimer committed to produce "Coyote Ugly," I don't think he was intending to remake "The Wizard of Oz" or "Gone With the Wind," widely regarded at two of the greatest movies of all time. And while I don't think "Coyote Ugly" is one of even the fifty greatest movies of all time, I did like it for what it was; a cute little movie that can lift your spirits when you're down.
Violet Sanford, played by the heartbreakingly sexy Piper Perabo, decides to pick up and leave her smalltown New Jersey existence - much to the chagrin of her toll-booth operator father, played by John Goodman in a show-stealing performance - for the Big Apple for a shot at success in the music business. Once there, she finds out there's a lot more to it than simply having great songs. One night, she happens upon one "Mr." O'Donnell (or Kevin, played by Adam Garcia) and gives him her demo tape thinking he's in the biz. When it turns out that he's nothing more than a guy who works odd jobs, she gets disgusted when he won't leave her alone (she's so cute when she say "So, I'm going to say 'good night...'").
After more meetings, a rather embarrassing, um, performance at an open-mike night (which we get to see her legendary stage fright) and being robbed, she happens upon three women, one of them who is saying goodbye to the other two, at an all-night eatery. "Are they hookers?" she asks excitedly. "No," says the dive owner as he hands her a matchbox with the name of a bar, the infamous "Coyote Ugly;" "They're coyotes!" She then decides to "audition" for the empty slot.
Somehow, over time, she impresses the hard-as-nails owner Lil, played with /chutzpah/ by Maria Bello, formerly of "ER," with her way with rowdy New Yorkers ready to get into a fight over a girl, her ability to raise $250 in two minutes by auctioning off an intimate night with Kevin as a means of payback and saving her fellow waitresses from impending trouble by singing along to "One Way or Another" by Blondie on the jukebox.

And while she falls in love with Kevin (who helps her get over her stage fright), she disappoints her father when he finds out that she's working at what he must believe is a strip bar, having seen his buddies at work putting her picture up in their toll-booth windows.
I think that the screenplay could be written a little better (Gina Wendkos does a better job with "The Princess Diaries" in my opinion). But the directing here is adequate; and I feel that, all things considered, the movie is well-acted; Melanie Lynskey was cute as Violet's long-time, always loyal friend. It's quite interesting to see Bridget Moynihan and Tyra Banks, two models, cast in the movie, Moynihan as the sexy "New York b****" and Tyra Banks as the sexy law student (who I would have liked to have seen more of). I feel that both of them held their own. And Izabella Miko was hot as Cammie, "The Russian Tease!"
I love the use of music throughout the film, including Violet's songs, which were actually written by Diane Warren, as well as the music played at the bar. Being of the male persuasion, I can't help but love the dance numbers with the Coyotes - love those outfits especially (even if it's really stunt dancers). And I can tolerate the sappy love story. Overall, this is a fun movie for anybody who needs to be cheered up (and who /doesn't/ these days!?).
9 out of 10.