Five gorgeous bartenders wearing skin-tight clothing, engaging in dancing and wet T-shirt contests on the bar, while ogling men hoot and holler.
Sound like anything other than a fluffy summer pic, destined for some financial success with gyrations from supermodel Tyra Banks and the favored voice of Leann Rimes?
Surprisingly, it is.
“Coyote Ugly,” a story about dreams, is a Touchstone Pictures film produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, who brought us “Flashdance,” “Top Gun” and “Armageddon.”
In the tradition of his past movies, Bruckheimer performed a casting call for talent that encompassed established stars, such as Banks and “ER” actress Maria Bello, who plays Lil, the owner of Coyote Ugly, and also reached to virtual unknowns such as Piper Perabo, who stars in the title role as Violet Sanford.
The 21-year-old New Jersey girl heads to New York to realize her dreams as a songwriter when she’s distracted by a job in the notorious bar Coyote Ugly.
The bartenders, known as Coyotes, tease and torment customers with their sexy attire and antics complete with a “hands off” attitude — summed up best by owner Lil’s policy of “appear available but don’t BE available.”
With a job that regularly gets her photo in the paper and $300 a night of tips in her pocket, and a budding romance with a local cook named Kevin O’Donnell, played by Australia-born Adam Garcia, Violet’s life seems to be a dream for a young gal, except for her stagnant progress on her song-writing goal.
Her biggest obstacle isn’t even the big, mean city of New York, but rather her own fear of singing her songs in front of people, which is ironically the only venue for getting them heard.
Throw in the conflict that Violet’s father, played by John Goodman, has with his daughter “leaving the nest” and a little good-natured rivalry between the Coyotes, and the result is a surprisingly great summer flick about growing up, conquering your fears and realizing your dreams.
A littlecheesy? In idea, maybe. But in reality, “Coyote Ugly” pulls it off and promises to join the ranks of favorite romantic comedies.