Coyote Ugly 2/10

Coyote Ugly (PG-13) 2000
Reviewer’s Tilt (3)
Drama-101min
Special DVD Features worth a look-None

Don’t be fooled by the Jerry Bruckheimer production or the Kevin Smith script rewrite. This movie is nothing but eye-candy—no exploding buildings, no witty dialogue, no impressive plot, just lots of scantily clad vixens dancing on a bar. In fact, one would be hard pressed to find any imprint of Bruckheimer or Smith on the film whatsoever (Actually Smith did just one rewrite, with very few of his changes making it into the final cut). Coyote Ugly definitely lives down to its expectations. The movie's one redeeming quality is that it is a great date movie. The dialogue will make any drivel that pours out of your mouth seem to rival the Bard of Avon. As an added bonus, the movie gets worse as it progresses, making alternate endeavors much more attractive.

Thankfully, not a single ounce of talent goes down with the ship; the acting, direction, story and dialogue are all equally bad. Piper Perabo plays Violet, the undiscovered singer from New Jersey, with stars in her eyes. Violet is filled with stage fright, but apparently not at all self-conscious about simulating sex on a Manhattan bar to the drunken cat calls of forty drunken strangers. Maria Bello plays the hard-nosed, but attractive bar owner willing to give Violet the chance to prove herself. Adam Garcia plays the sweet boyfriend, with John Goodman filling in as the concerned father. There is nothing in this film you have not seen done better in such films as Cocktail, Pretty Woman and Flashdance. But, who am I to say. Baywatch is wildly popular. For all the same reasons, this “Baywatch in a bar” may become a cult classic . . . although I am not holding my breath.

Format: Color, Widescreen Anamorphic, Closed captioned.
Sound: (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Extras: Audio commentary; Featurettes: "In Search of Violet: Casting the Lead Role, Piper Perabo," "Coyote 101: actor prep; "What It Means to be a Coyote," "Howling Good Time: Filming the Bar Scenes"; deleted scenes; LeAnn Rimes music video.