Unfortunately, Violet has tremendous stage fright, and can't work up the courage to sing her songs to a live audience. Out of the awkward meeting springs a budding romance, but one that is hamstrung by Kevin's unwillingness to disclose his own secrets. At the Coyote Ugly, drinks are only served straight and in shot glasses, and the bartenders are sexy women who hop up on the bar to dance, spray the customers with water, and light things on fire. Garcia, for his part, demonstrates great comic timing and a strong on-screen presence. But it also hews very closely to all the genre cliches, and at times feels obscenely contrived.
Great movies slip such incidents seamlessly into the flow of the film.
I was also disappointed that, given the movie's title, the Coyote Ugly bar and its staff was used more as a backdrop than a pivotal element. The bartenders, even Lil, are permitted very little development, which is unfortunate because I got the impression that there were some good characters and enjoyable performances lurking there, trying to break out. It's unfortunate that more attention is instead paid to Goodman's character, who is never much more than a convenient plot device. For the many neophytes who contributed to it, it may well be looked back on in ten years' time as a good beginning which paved the way to much better things. If nothing else, viewers should keep an eye out for a cameo appearance by Tara McLean, one of Canada's best but most underpromoted singer-songwriters, as an open mic night singer early in the film.