If you're here to find out if this is a good date movie, it is! Go. Enjoy.

On the other hand, if you like slow-moving character studies about matters of deep import, save your money and your time. This is not your idea of fun.

If you're a male who can find fulfillment in non-stop eye-candy, gyrating, pouting, laughing and a small bit of crying, it's a virtual must-see. Spending time with Violet Sanford (Piper Perabo) as she pursues her dream of getting her songs sung and stops off to become a bump and grind "Coyote on the bar" will be a fast 94 minute delight, if not the moment of the year.

With producer Jerry Bruckheimer's trademark hyper intensity, this film has the earmarks of a smash success at the boxoffice. Why? Because there are so many avid filmgoers who fit in the categories for whom this film tests positive--a crowd who won't spoil a good time by being critical.

In fact, I have to say that the general critical reaction to this movie is a bit too negative. Some have called it a "bad movie" (Kenneth Turan, L.A. Times) and they weren't talking about any character's character traits. It is not a "bad movie". It's a fun celebration of youthful exuberance, love, with some talent added to the mix.

Speaking of which, there's Maria Bello as Lil, the owner of "Coyote Ugly" a bar called that "because 'Cheers' was taken", as she tells it. Since she left the cast of "ER", I for one have been waiting for this lady, who is a mix of a young and divinely beautiful Michelle Philips and the smart loaded-with-talent Michelle Pfeiffer with her own no-nonsense toughness, to break into the ranks of stardom. This is not the kind of role that should lead to that but there will come a film that will showcase this actress about whom one suspects not yet realized complexity and depth. It's a good thing her name isn't Michelle.

As for Piper Perabo, there's great promise as well and one can only imagine a pile of scripts already weighing down her agent's table. She's got fresh good looks, naturalness and adequate training to easily fill out the calendar with a steady schedule of teen-oriented films.

John Goodman adds his affable good nature to a part that calls for it as Bill Sanford, Violet's father. The depth part of this tale is how he lost his wife in an accident and how Violet shares her mother's trepidation about appearing on stage. She has to fight that inheritance. But, no futher details. If this interests you, go see the movie.

Estimated cost: $45,000,000. Projected U.S. box-office: $55,000,000.

Rated F, for Fun.

                                      ~~  Jules Brenner