The Tao of Steve

no wonder this thing snagged donal logue top acting honors at the 2000 sundance festival, but i don't know what the better script could've been. this thing has it all: guy talk, girl talk, echoes and resonance, love and respect for all its characters, wit, poignancy, politics, uplift, a tremendous depth and breath of literary allusion, and a substantial dose of digestible philosophy from some of the greatest minds of world thought. seriously, this may be the first movie to quote Kirkegaard and george jetson in the same scene and make them both look wise. it's a movie about love, about wisdom, about fun, but mostly it's about learning real values and gaining all the rest through learning to be the best person you can be. that's a big load for such a funny film, but this one handles it all and then some. this doesn't mention the beautiful sets, the music (original, appropriate, and inventive, though probably the film's weakest suit)the cute kids and the celebration of contemporary gentle-souled hipster lifestyles. AND it's only 82 minutes long, you can almost fit it in on a lunch break but it will last you far longer than that. thanks so much to Greer and Jenniphr Goodman for their script and direction. from all us steve wannabes, but actual duncan north's of the world, thank you!

The Tao of Steve: Casanova. Lothario. Stud. Whatever the moniker, everyone knows the type: a guy with stunning looks, a killer smile, lines that don't sound like come-ons, a silky smooth demeanor, an athletic build, whose only problem is deciding which women's numbers to cull from his rolodex. Why women gravitate towards these men is no big mystery. Why they are drawn to the Dexes of the world is.

Dex doesn't even cut it as "the average guy": an overweight, unkempt slacker, he teaches kindergarten, thinks pot is the breakfast of champions, spouts Taoist philosophy and sleeps around enough to be a mattress tester. His life creed is based upon the Steves: Austin, McGarret, McQueen… men who epitomized cool, weren't afraid to get roughed up, never pursued women and for whom things always worked out. His entire belief system is thrown into disarray when he meets Syd, a bright, headstrong opera set designer, with a flair with life and a sixth sense for B.S.. Suddenly Dex finds himself in the role of pursuer.

Good "relationship movies" are rare. Rarer still is finding one that approaches the subject from a male's perspective that isn't steeped in machismo and reeking of testosterone. Almost unheard of is to find the selfsame movie with a hilarious comedic tilt. Unlike "High Fidelity", the recent pre-midlife crisis movie which only skimmed the surface of relationships (but was a brilliant movie nonetheless), or "Autumn in New York" the shameless Rogue-sees-the-light-tear-jerker, "The Tao of Steve" is the thinking man's "About Last Night" - the intangible mixed with the right amount of brashness.

"Tao's" success is twofold: it boasts a tight, witty script - how many romantic comedies can you think of that are peppered with quotations from Lao Tzu? - and true to life characters. The "hero" is largely biographical, based on a friend of the director's who contributed heavily to the script. The Dexes of the world refuse to ascribe to the accepted maxim of relationships - men chase women get accepted/rejected, repeat if necessary. By adopting a calculated aloofness (not to be confused with jerks - we'll ignore the whole "Bad Boy Syndrome" discussion) they engender mystery and curiosity. Although it sounds ridiculous it actually works - I know two guys who could have been the model for Dex (I don't think there would be a strong reverse correlation however, as men generally don't understand signals- we're a bit thick that way…). Psychology and writing aside, the actors definitely bring the story to life.

Ottawa born Donal Logue, pulled a DeNiro, gaining 45-pounds for the role of Dex - now that's dedication to the craft. Having seen Logue previously only in bit parts - he has over thirty to his credit - I didn't think he could handle a lead. He quickly dismisses any doubts with his impeccable timing, both dramatic and comedic, which garnered him the Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. Logue creates a likable cad whose deviousness we both admire and despise, making his epiphany that much more enjoyable. Greer Goodman (in her first screen role) is an admirable foil as Syd, the woman who cuts through Dex's smokescreen and smashes his carefully cloistered world.

If you've grown tired of all that Hollywood has to offer, or more appropriately, what it fails to deliver, this may be the movie for you.

"The Tao of Steve" tells of a fat slob of a guy who seems to have unusually good fortune in bedding chicks thanks to his Taoist philosophy. Although the flick smells like a young indie, it is fresh, creative, and unique enough to take on a seemingly endless parade of second rate romantic comedies sans the 24 carat glamour and other trappings of Hollywood. "The Tao..." is a great watch for anyone interested in what independent films are about and an enjoyable watch for most. Kudos to the Goodmans.

Dex, the leading male character, has told Syd that he's falling in love with her, and she asks why he doesn't stop seeing other women. He responds, "Why? So I can bask in the warmth of your annihilating contempt?" The story of this film meanders much like its good-for-nothing hero, Dex, as we follow him through a slacker routine that allows him to do virtually nothing but pick up women and play games with his male friends.

He believes that he has the key to life in the "Tao of Steve," which is essentially a guide to fooling women into having sex with a fat loser--himself. He exclaims, "Why does the American Slacker get so little respect?" The clever dialog and the sweetness of Dex's discovery that he actually loves Syd and doesn't really want to be a professional cad all his life makes the movie worth watching.

Also fun is the truth in the "Tao of Steve" with its three edicts: 1) suppress your desire--and your agenda of getting her into bed 2) be excellent in her presence and 3) retreat. It's true that going into a relationship with nothing else in mind but sleeping with a woman is a huge mistake, and Dex recognizes the wisdom of being cool rather than needy, but then he uses it the wrong way (or the right way, depending on your perspective). We watch him explain his philosophy, use it to manipulate women, and then have to violate it as he finally figures out that while the "Tao of Steve" may get him women, it won't get him the one woman he really wants.

This movie was kind of flat and predictable. With all the good reviews it got, I expected more. One thing though I have to give credit to is the setting. Santa Fe was a great backdrop and it should be used more in films. With most of the scenes set outside, it brought brightness to what otherwise could have been a really dreary film. The two lead characters were good, though there was this one character with a space between his teeth that was horrible. The scene where they're playing poker and he's asking who Steve McGarrett and Steve Austin were was a testament to not only bad acting, but also horrible cliched screenwriting. 70s pop culture references need to be put to rest. Let's at least move on into the eighties. Overall, I say don't waste your money at the video store on this, though if it comes on TV, watch it if there's nothing else on.