''Coyote Ugly'' is a 2000 American musical comedy-drama film based on the Coyote Ugly Saloon. It was directed by David McNally, produced by

Jerry Bruckheimer Jerome Leon Bruckheimer (born September 21, 1943) is an American film and television producer. He has been active in the genres of action, drama, fantasy, and science fiction. His films include '' Flashdance'', ''Top Gun'', '' The Rock'', '' ...

and Chad Oman, and written by Gina Wendkos. Set in New York City, the film stars

Piper Perabo Piper Lisa Perabo () (born October 31, 1976) is an American actress. Following her breakthrough in the comedy-drama film '' Coyote Ugly'' (2000), she starred in ''The Prestige'' (2006), ''Angel Has Fallen'' (2019), and as CIA agent Annie Walke ...

in her breakthrough role, Adam Garcia,

Maria Bello Maria Elena Bello (born April 18, 1967) is an American actress and writer. Her film roles include '' Permanent Midnight'' (1998), '' Payback'' (1999), '' Coyote Ugly'' (2000), ''The Cooler'' (2003), '' A History of Violence'' (2005), '' The Mumm ...

Melanie Lynskey Melanie Jayne Lynskey ( ; born 16 May 1977) is a New Zealand actress widely known for her portrayals of complex women in several independent films and television shows and also known for her command of American dialects. Lynskey is the recipi ...

John Goodman John Stephen Goodman (born June 20, 1952) is an American actor. He gained national fame for his role as the family patriarch Dan Conner in the American Broadcasting Company, ABC comedy series ''Roseanne'' (1988–1997; 2018), for which he rec ...

Izabella Miko Izabella Miko (born Izabella Anna Mikołajczak; 21 January 1981) is a Polish actress, dancer, film producer, and environmental activist. She is best known for starring in the film ''Coyote Ugly'' and the music videos "Mr. Brightside" and "Miss ...

Bridget Moynahan Kathryn Bridget Moynahan (born April 28, 1971) is an American actress and model. Moynahan is best known for her role as Erin Reagan in the police drama '' Blue Bloods''. She graduated from Longmeadow High School in Massachusetts in 1989 and be ...

, and

Tyra Banks Tyra Lynne Banks (born December 4, 1973), also known as BanX, is an American television personality, model, producer, writer, and actress. Born in Inglewood, California, she began her career as a model at the age of 15, and was the first Africa ...

. Although the film was critically panned, it was a box office success, grossing over $113 million worldwide. The film has become a

cult classic A cult following refers to a group of fans who are highly dedicated to some person, idea, object, movement, or work, often an artist, in particular a performing artist, or an artwork in some medium. The lattermost is often called a cult classic. ...

and has acquired a cult following over the years. Banks claimed that she had been lobbying for a sequel for years, reaching out to much of the original cast and crew for consideration.

Plot

Violet Sanford leaves her hometown of

South Amboy, New Jersey South Amboy is a suburban city in Middlesex County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, located on Raritan Bay. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city's population was 9,411.demo tape noticed by the recording studios but is unsuccessful. One night, she tries to get herself noticed by a music industry scout. The bartender jokingly points out Kevin O'Donnell, making her believe that he is the bar manager. When she discovers the joke, Violet feels hurt because she thinks Kevin was trying to make her look foolish. With only a few dollars left in her pocket after her apartment is burglarized, she goes to an all-night diner and notices three girls, Cammie, Rachel, and Zoe, flaunting the hundreds of dollars in tips they earned. After inquiring, she finds out that they work at a trendy bar named Coyote Ugly. She finds her way to the bar and convinces the bar owner Lil to give her an audition. Violet's first audition does not go well, but after Violet breaks up a fight between two customers, Lil gives her a second audition. At her second audition, Violet douses the fire warden in water which costs Lil $250. However, Lil decides she can work at the bar if she can make up $250 in one night. Kevin turns up at the bar, and Violet auctions him off to another woman at the bar to earn the money. Kevin tells Violet that she owes him, so Violet agrees to go on four dates with him. The two begin a relationship. Kevin commits himself to help Violet overcome her stage fright, which she is informed she will have to do to have her songs heard. Violet tells Kevin she inherited her stage fright from her now-deceased mother, who also moved to New York in her youth to pursue her dreams of singing. Violet's stage fright mostly extends to singing her original pieces, as she can sing in the bar doing

karaoke Karaoke (; ; , clipped compound of Japanese ''kara'' "empty" and ''ōkesutora'' "orchestra") is a type of interactive entertainment usually offered in clubs and bars, where people sing along to recorded music using a microphone. The music i ...

to help Cammie and Rachel break up a fight between customers. One night, her father Bill comes to see her at work after a photo of her on the bar appears in the paper. When he arrives, she is dancing on the bar counter with the other bartenders pouring pitchers of water over her. He is angry about her job and refuses to talk to her when she calls him shortly after. She keeps the job despite her father's wishes, but shortly thereafter gets fired when Kevin gets into a fight at the bar. She and Kevin then break up. With her dreams not working and her job at the bar lost, Violet goes to New Jersey for Gloria's wedding. That night, Bill gets hit by a car and is seriously injured, which almost prompts Violet to move back to New Jersey. However, Bill convinces her not to give up while telling her the truth: her mother did not have a problem with stage fright and quit singing because of Bill. Back in New York Lil visits Violet at a restaurant where she is now working and the two make amends. Violet finishes a new song and later performs it at an open mic night at the

Bowery Ballroom The Bowery Ballroom is a New York City live-music venue located at 6 Delancey Street in the neighborhood of Bowery in Manhattan. The Bowery Ballroom holds something of a cult status among musicians as well as audiences. ''Rolling Stone'' magaz ...

. After a difficult start, she gets help from Kevin and can sing. The Coyotes, Bill, and Gloria are also there for moral support. The performance leads to a deal with a record label. The film concludes back at Coyote Ugly with LeAnn Rimes, having recorded Violet's song, singing on the bar as Violet joins in and Violet kissing Kevin celebrating her dream coming true.

Cast

as Violet Sanford * Adam Garcia as Kevin O'Donnell *

as William James “Bill” Sanford *

as Lil *

as Cammie *

as Zoe *

as Rachel *

as Gloria * Del Pentecost as Lou *

Michael Weston Michael Weston (born Michael Rubinstein; October 25, 1973) is an American television and film actor. His best-known roles are the private detective Lucas on ''House'', the deranged and sadistic kidnapper Jake in the HBO serial drama '' Six Feet ...

as Danny * LeAnn Rimes as Herself *

John Fugelsang John Joseph Fugelsang (born September 3, 1969) is an American actor, comedian, writer, television host, political commentator and television personality. Early life and education Fugelsang was born on Long Island, New York. Of Danish, German, ...

as Richie, The Booker *

Bud Cort Walter Edward Cox, known professionally as Bud Cort, is an American actor and comedian, known for his portrayals of Harold in Hal Ashby's film ''Harold and Maude'' (1971) and the eponymous hero in Robert Altman's film '' Brewster McCloud'' (19 ...

as Romero * Melody Perkins as New Coyote (uncredited) * Michael Bay as Photographer

Production

Writing

Kevin Smith Kevin Patrick Smith (born August 2, 1970) is an American filmmaker, actor, comedian, comic book writer, author, YouTuber, and podcaster. He came to prominence with the low-budget comedy buddy film '' Clerks'' (1994), which he wrote, directed, ...

, who did an uncredited rewrite of the script, stated that a total of eight writers worked on the script, while the

Writers Guild of America The Writers Guild of America is the joint efforts of two different US labor unions representing TV and film writers: * The Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE), headquartered in New York City and affiliated with the AFL–CIO * The Writers Gu ...

only gave credit to Gina Wendkos, who wrote the first draft of the script, which, according to Smith, scarcely resembles the final film. (See

WGA screenwriting credit system The Writers Guild of America (WGA) credit system for motion pictures and television programs covers all works under the jurisdiction of the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) and the Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW). The WGA, originally ...

.) Jeff Nathanson wrote a draft that director David McNally credits as the draft that "brought the thing home"; Nathanson was credited on the initial theatrical poster but not in the finished film.

Carrie Fisher Carrie Frances Fisher (October 21, 1956 – December 27, 2016) was an American actress and writer. She played Princess Leia in the ''Star Wars'' films (1977–1983). She reprised the role in'' Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' (2015), ''The Last ...

also wrote a draft.

Casting

Early on, before the producers decided to cast mostly unknown actors, the lead role of Violet Sanford was offered to pop singer Jessica Simpson, who turned it down.

January Jones January Kristen Jones (born January 5, 1978) is an American actress and model. She played Betty Draper in ''Mad Men'' (2007–2015), for which she was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards for Best Actress – Television Series Drama and a Pr ...

also auditioned for a role.

Filming

Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as a ...

took place in

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

and small towns in

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

including South Amboy and Sea Bright for a month. Production then moved to California and shooting took place in Los Angeles,

West Hollywood West Hollywood is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Incorporated in 1984, it is home to the Sunset Strip. As of the 2020 U.S. Census, its population was 35,757. It is considered one of the most prominent gay villages ...

, Pasadena, and San Pedro.

Title

The film was based on an article, "The Muse of the Coyote Ugly Saloon", in '' GQ'' by

Elizabeth Gilbert Elizabeth Gilbert (born July 18, 1969) is an American journalist and author. She is best known for her 2006 memoir, '' Eat, Pray, Love'', which has sold over 12 million copies and has been translated into over 30 languages. The book was also ma ...

, who worked as a bartender in the

East Village, Manhattan The East Village is a neighborhood on the East Side of Lower Manhattan in New York City. It is roughly defined as the area east of the Bowery and Third Avenue, between 14th Street on the north and Houston Street on the south. The East Village ...

. The bar, which opened in 1993, quickly became a favorite of the Lower East Side hipsters. As mentioned in the film, the slang term "coyote ugly" refers to the feeling of waking up after a one-night stand, and discovering that one's arm is underneath someone who is so physically repulsive that one would gladly chew it off without waking the person just so one can get away without being discovered. Coyotes are known to gnaw off limbs if they are stuck in a trap, to facilitate escape.

Reception

Box office

''Coyote Ugly'' opened fourth at the North American box office making US$17,319,282 in its opening weekend. It went on to gross $60,786,269 domestically and $53,130,205 around the world to a total of $113,916,474 worldwide, becoming a box office success.

Critical response

The film received negative reviews from critics. Criticisms and praise centered around the belief that it was little more than an excuse to portray "hot, sexy women dancing on a bar in a wet T-shirt contest". On

Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...

it has an approval rating of 23% based on 104 reviews, with an average rating of 3.8/10. The site's consensus states: "''Coyote Ugly'' has an enthusiastically trashy energy and undeniable aesthetic appeal, but it's nowhere near enough to make up for the film's shallow, unimaginative story." On

Metacritic Metacritic is a website that aggregates reviews of films, TV shows, music albums, video games and formerly, books. For each product, the scores from each review are averaged (a weighted average). Metacritic was created by Jason Dietz, Marc ...

it has a weighted average score of 27 out of 100, based on reviews from 29 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews". Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade "A−" on scale of A to F. Roger Ebert of the

Chicago Sun-Times The ''Chicago Sun-Times'' is a daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois, United States. Since 2022, it is the flagship paper of Chicago Public Media, and has the second largest circulation among Chicago newspapers, after the ''Chicago ...

asked "Do you get the feeling these movies are assembled from off-the-shelf parts?" and although he doesn't ask for originality, he criticizes the complete lack of surprises. Ebert praises the technical merits of the film "But you can pump up the volume only so far before it becomes noise." Ebert called Perabo the "reason to see the movie" saying "She has one of those friendly Julia Roberts smiles, good comic timing, ease and confidence on the screen, and a career ahead of her in movies better than this one. Lots better."

Peter Travers Peter Joseph Travers (born ) is an American film critic, journalist, and television presenter. He reviews films for ABC News and previously served as a movie critic for ''People'' and ''Rolling Stone''. Travers also hosts the film interview prog ...

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

dismissed the film "Bruckheimer claims he's made a film about female empowerment, but it's soft-core pap for horny boys and their hornier dads." Robert Koehler of

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

called it "The latest and most calculated re-do on the formulaic fantasy of an innocent conquering Gotham." VH1 made a statement about Rimes' appearance in the film stating, "Rimes erself who is only 17 years old, was sporting leather pants and a skimpy top and in all likelihood, even with a fake ID, would never have been allowed inside any NYC bar." Years after its original release, the film has found success as a cult film and icon of early-2000s fashion and culture. Justin Kirkland of '' Esquire'' praised the film for "capturing the hilariously sincere optimism of the Year 2000", saying "''Coyote Ugly'' is a categorically bad film, but in its 101 minute run, it manages to capture the vibe of an iconic year that was plucky and unassuming with a delusional and misplaced sense of hope."

Home media

In summer 2005, an unrated special edition (the original release was rated

PG-13 The Motion Picture Association film rating system is used in the United States and its territories to rate a motion picture's suitability for certain audiences based on its content. The system and the ratings applied to individual motion pictures ...

and the director's cut rated R) was released on DVD. It was also released in the UK and rated 15 by the

BBFC The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC, previously the British Board of Film Censors) is a non-governmental organisation founded by the British film industry in 1912 and responsible for the national classification and censorship of fi ...

. (By contrast, the theatrical cut was rated 12 in the UK.) The extended cut adds approximately six minutes to the film's runtime, most of which consists of additional shots of the "coyotes" dancing on the bar and of Violet and Cammie trying on different outfits while shopping. Arguably, the most notable additions are the extension of the sex scene between Violet and Kevin (Perabo used a body double for most of the scene), and the inclusion of an additional scene which shows the "Coyotes" winning a softball game because Cammie distracts the pitcher by stripping. The special features of the extended cut DVD are identical with those of the previous DVD release.

Soundtracks

The film's soundtrack features Violet's four songs from the film, performed by LeAnn Rimes and written by Diane Warren, as well as several other songs not exclusive to the film. It achieved gold status within one month of its release on August 1, 2000 and platinum status on November 7, 2000. On April 18, 2001, the soundtrack was certified 2× Platinum and on January 9, 2002, it was certified 3× Platinum. The soundtrack was certified 4× Platinum on July 22, 2008, was certified 5× Platinum (500,000 units) in Canada and gold (100,000 units) in Japan in 2002. Three singles were released from the soundtrack, all three by LeAnn Rimes, " Can't Fight the Moonlight" which achieved gold status, became a nearly instant hit on the radio charts and peaked at No. 11 on The ''Billboard'' Hot 100, "

But I Do Love You "But I Do Love You" is a song recorded by American country music artist LeAnn Rimes. It was released in the US as a single from the '' Coyote Ugly'' soundtrack on February 9, 2001 and in the UK on February 11, 2002. The song was written by Dia ...

" and "The Right Kind of Wrong". A second soundtrack, ''More Music from Coyote Ugly'', with more songs that appeared in the film and

remixes A remix (or reorchestration) is a piece of media which has been altered or contorted from its original state by adding, removing, or changing pieces of the item. A song, piece of artwork, book, video, poem, or photograph can all be remixes. The o ...

of two of Rimes' songs, followed on January 28, 2003. Although Perabo was able to sing for her character, it was decided that Rimes, owing to her soprano-type voice, would provide Violet's singing voice far better for the role. This means that during Rimes' cameo, she is effectively duetting with herself.

''Coyote Ugly'' soundtrack

Charts

Weekly charts

Year-end charts

Certifications and sales

''More Music from Coyote Ugly''

Other songs in the film

The following songs appear in the film, but are on neither of the two released soundtracks. * " Party Up (Up in Here)" by DMX * " Fly" by

Sugar Ray Sugar Ray is an American rock band formed in Newport Beach, California, in 1986. Originally playing heavier funk metal and nu metal style music, the band achieved mainstream popularity in 1997 with their more pop-influenced single "Fly". The ...

* "

I Will Survive "I Will Survive" is a song by American singer Gloria Gaynor, released in October 1978 as the second single from her sixth album, '' Love Tracks'' (1978). It was written by Freddie Perren and Dino Fekaris. A top-selling song, it is a popular di ...

" by Gloria Gaynor * " That's Me" by Tara MacLean * " Wherever You Will Go" by The Calling * " Pour Some Sugar on Me" by

Def Leppard Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1976 in Sheffield. Since 1992, the band has consisted of Rick Savage (bass, backing vocals), Joe Elliott (lead vocals), Rick Allen (drums, backing vocals), Phil Collen (guitar, backing vocals), ...

* " Fly Away" by Lenny Kravitz * " Beer:30" by

Reverend Horton Heat The Reverend Horton Heat is the stage name of American musician James C. Heath (born 1959) as well as the name of his Dallas, Texas-based psychobilly trio. Heath is a singer, songwriter and guitarist. A ''Prick'' magazine reviewer called Heath ...

* " Follow Me" by

Uncle Kracker Matthew Shafer (born June 6, 1974), also known by his stage name Uncle Kracker, is an American singer and musician. He was previously a turntablist for Kid Rock's backing group Twisted Brown Trucker and since 1999 has recorded as a solo artist. ...

* " Cruisin' for a Bruisin'" by Nurse With Wound * " Never Let You Go" by

Third Eye Blind Third Eye Blind is an American rock band formed in San Francisco, California, in 1993. After years of lineup changes in the early and mid-1990s, the songwriting duo of Stephan Jenkins and Kevin Cadogan signed the band's first major-label reco ...

* " Love Is Alive" by Anastacia * " Cowboy" by Kid Rock * "

Tony Adams Tony Alexander Adams (born 10 October 1966) is an English former football manager and player. Adams played for Arsenal and England, captaining both teams. He spent his entire playing career of 19 years as a centre back at Arsenal, making 672 t ...

" by Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros * " Cailin" by Unwritten Law * " Can't Help Falling in Love" by

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one ...

* "Like Water" by

Chalk Farm Chalk Farm is a small urban district of north London, lying immediately north of Camden Town, in the London Borough of Camden. History Manor of Rugmere Chalk Farm was originally known as the Manor of Rugmere, an estate that was mentioned ...

* " I Love Rock N Roll" by Joan Jett & the Blackhearts * " Wherever You Will Go" by The Calling (Fiji Mermaid Club scene)

References

External links

* * * *
Comparison of the theatrical release and the Unrated Edition, with screenshots
{{DEFAULTSORT:Coyote Ugly 2000 films 2000 directorial debut films 2000 romantic comedy-drama films 2000s musical comedy-drama films 2000s romantic musical films American musical comedy-drama films American romantic comedy-drama films American romantic musical films Country music films 2000s English-language films Films about bartenders Films about writers Films produced by Jerry Bruckheimer Films set in music venues Films set in New Jersey Films set in New York City Films shot in California Films shot in Los Angeles Films shot in New Jersey Films shot in New York City Touchstone Pictures films 2000s American films 2000s female buddy films