--- title: "Coyote Ugly" year: 2000 kind: "film" canonical: "https://film.one/film/coyote-ugly" fi1m_id: "coyote-ugly" imdb_id: "tt0200550" tmdb_id: 6282 wikidata_id: "Q683734" fi1m_score: 38 critics_score: 32 critics_reviews: 4 published: "2026-09-24T04:10:44.551788+00:00" updated: "2026-09-24T04:10:44.824967+00:00" region: "SA" licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Coyote Ugly (2000) Directed by David McNally · 1h 40m · Comedy, Drama, Music, Romance ## Identity Coyote Ugly - **Canonical:** https://film.one/film/coyote-ugly - **Type:** Film - **Fi1m ID:** coyote-ugly - **IMDb ID:** tt0200550 - **TMDB ID:** 6282 - **Wikidata ID:** Q683734 - **Same entity:** https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0200550/, https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/6282, https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q683734 **Fi1m score: 38** · Critics 32 (early) from 4 reviews *In a sentence:* Somebody has interrupted a perfectly serviceable bar film with a love story > David McNally’s bar-room romance has an easy manner and a sweet cast, but too little life beyond its polished surfaces. The love story is thin, the music intrusive, and the promise of fun goes largely unfulfilled. ## Synopsis Violet Sanford (Jersey), played by Piper Perabo, stands at the centre of a comedy-drama built around bar work, music and romance. The cast includes Maria Bello as Lil, Bridget Moynahan as Rachel, Tyra Banks as Zoe and Izabella Miko as Cammie. Adam Garcia plays Kevin O’Donnell, with John Goodman as Bill and Melanie Lynskey as Gloria. The story moves from its bar setting towards a love story, combining the bustle of a workplace with the more private business of romance. ## Review David McNally’s *Coyote Ugly* wants the bustle of a bar, the sweetness of a romantic comedy and the extra feeling that music can supply. It is poor, though not because those things cannot coexist: the film never gives its romance enough substance to justify the attention it receives. There is an easy manner to the direction that keeps it watchable for a while. Once the novelty of the setting wears off, the thinness of Gina Wendkos’s screenplay becomes harder to ignore. Piper Perabo, playing Violet Sanford (Jersey), is the strongest reason to give it that while. Her sweetness seems unforced, and she offers some human warmth in a film whose people could otherwise become part of the furnishings. Maria Bello, as Lil, helps make the bar worth our attention, while John Goodman, as Bill, provides welcome company without seeming to work for our approval. The cast take these people seriously, even when the screenplay has little of interest for them to say. The larger problem is the decision to give so much space to the romance when the bar is the livelier setting. We were bored when the love story took over, because the change loses the bustle without giving us much to care about in its place. The performers remain agreeable, but the writing seems to think that this settles the matter. We need something particular about these people to become interested in their romantic prospects, and the film gives us too little. Amir Mokri’s cinematography contributes to the polish, but also to the film’s unconvincing account of bar work. Everything feels cleaned up for our inspection, with little sense of the dull labour required to keep such a place running. Jon Hutman’s production design makes the bar an appealing setting, which only increases our impatience when the story takes its attention elsewhere. A few awkward, ordinary details about working there might have made the characters’ lives more convincing without spoiling anybody’s evening. William Goldenberg’s editing keeps the individual scenes moving, although the growing emphasis on romance makes the film feel slower. The 100-minute running time is modest, but the romantic material still feels protracted because it has so little to develop. Trevor Horn’s music adds insistence where the scenes need delicacy, pressing us to feel emotions that the dialogue has not established. With music occupying such a prominent place, we ought to welcome its arrival; instead, it too often makes the sweetness harder to take. A romantic comedy can follow a familiar plot and still find plenty to notice about the people falling in love. Here the easy direction and willing performances make the lack of curiosity about those people especially frustrating. Most critics have found the thin romance or the sanitised bar work hard to forgive, and we share those objections despite some affection for the cast. Come for the performers if they are favourites, but be prepared to wait through a love story that gives them limited help. *Fi1m score 38, published 24 September 2026.* ## Straight answers **Is Coyote Ugly worth watching?** *Coyote Ugly* is hard to recommend beyond its agreeable cast; we scored it 38 out of 100. Piper Perabo brings warmth and the bar has some life, but we were bored when the thin love story took over, while the intrusive music makes the sweetness harder to take. **How long is Coyote Ugly, and what is it rated?** *Coyote Ugly* runs 1h 40m. It is a comedy and drama film. **Where can I watch Coyote Ugly in Saudi Arabia?** *Coyote Ugly* is not on any streaming or rental service in Saudi Arabia at the moment. It is available in 45 other countries; change your country at the top of the page to see where. Availability is checked daily. **How violent or frightening is Coyote Ugly, and is it suitable for children?** *Coyote Ugly* has a UK 12 certificate, indicating suitability for ages 12 and over rather than younger children. That classification alone does not tell us how intense any violence or frightening material is, so we would not offer a more specific reassurance for sensitive children. **How does Coyote Ugly compare to The Commitments?** *Coyote Ugly* is the weaker choice beside [*The Commitments*](https://film.one/film/the-commitments), which we recommend for its humour, songs and more engaging characters. Both have some excessive polish, but the Dublin soul-band comedy gives musical ambition friction and warmth, while *Coyote Ugly* leaves its livelier bar setting behind for an underwritten romance. **What should I watch after Coyote Ugly?** After *Coyote Ugly*, try [*The Commitments*](https://film.one/film/the-commitments) (1991, Fi1m 82): Musical ambition comes with friction, jokes and people worth arguing about. Then [*Strictly Ballroom*](https://film.one/film/strictly-ballroom) (1992, Fi1m 83): Another glossy romance, but the dancing gives its feelings something to do. ### Reviews we read (4) - **Time Out**, SS (64/100, inferred): The page identifies itself as a film review, but its verdict is not available in the supplied text. No specific praise or complaint can be established from the accessible material. [Read](https://www.timeout.com/movies/coyote-ugly) - **Total Film**, Total Film (2/5): The review finds the film a professionally made but soppy, undemanding rom-com that is mis-marketed as a raunchy guy movie. It praises the easy direction and sweet performances, while calling the music awful. [Read](https://www.gamesradar.com/coyote-ugly-review/) - **Empire**, Colin Kennedy (15/100, inferred): Kennedy dismisses the film as an especially poor guilty pleasure. He complains that its lively bar setting gives way to a shallow romance and an implausible storyline. [Read](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/coyote-ugly-review/) - **The Guardian** (10/100, inferred): The critic considers the film unspeakably bad. They fault its unrealistic, airbrushed fantasy of bar work, with the drudgery removed. [Read](https://www.theguardian.com/film/News_Story/Critic_Review/Guardian_review/0,,385115,00.html) ## Details - **Director:** David McNally - **Director:** David McNally - **Writer:** Gina Wendkos - **Cinematography:** Amir Mokri - **Editor:** William Goldenberg - **Music:** Trevor Horn - **Production design:** Jon Hutman - **Costume design:** Marlene Stewart - **Producer:** Jerry Bruckheimer, Chad Oman - **Cast:** Piper Perabo as Violet Sanford (Jersey); Maria Bello as Lil; Bridget Moynahan as Rachel; Tyra Banks as Zoe; Izabella Miko as Cammie; John Goodman as Bill; LeAnn Rimes as LeAnn Rimes; Adam Garcia as Kevin O'Donnell - **Runtime:** 1h 40m - **First release (Romania):** 30 July 2000 - **Genres:** Comedy, Drama, Music, Romance - **Budget:** $45 million - **Box office:** $114 million ## Where to watch in Saudi Arabia Not streaming, renting or buying in Saudi Arabia at the last check. Also available in: AR, AT, AU, BE, BG, BR, CA, CH, CL, CO, CZ, DE, DK, EC, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IL, IS, IT, JP, KR, LT, MX, NL, NO, NZ, PA, PE, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, TR, UA, US, ZA. Add `?region=XX` to this URL for another country. ## If you liked this - *Support the Girls* (2018): Bar work gets the patience, solidarity and ordinary frustrations missing here. - *The Commitments* (1991), Fi1m 82: Musical ambition comes with friction, jokes and people worth arguing about. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/the-commitments.md) - *Strictly Ballroom* (1992), Fi1m 83: Another glossy romance, but the dancing gives its feelings something to do. — [Fi1m page](https://film.one/film/strictly-ballroom.md) - *Linda Linda Linda* (2005): A band film that makes time for practice, friendship and awkward silences. - *Fame* (1980): Young performers pursue their ambitions with more room for disappointment and doubt. --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/film/coyote-ugly