The Tao of Steve (2000)

Underachieving, overweight kindergarten teacher Dex finds a woman who forces him to reexamine his Zen-like system of seduction.

Director:

Jenniphr Goodman

Writers:

Duncan North, Greer Goodman,

Stars:

Donal Logue, Ayelet Kaznelson, John Hines

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Donal Logue	...	Dex
Ayelet Kaznelson	...	Beth
John Hines	...	Ed
John Harrington Bland	...	Priest
Jessica Gormley	...	Gossipy Woman
Mercedes Herrero	...	Gossipy Woman
Cheryl Anne Jaroslaw	...	Gossipy Woman
Nina Jaroslaw	...	Maggie
David Aaron Baker	...	Rick
Dana Goodman	...	Julie
Greer Goodman	...	Syd
Dave Bynum	...	Epperley Reunion Band: Bass
Matt Nader	...	Epperley Reunion Band: Guitar and Vocals
Dave Terry	...	Epperley Reunion Band - Vocals and Guitar
John Truskett	...	Epperley Reunion Band: Drums

Storyline

In his early 30s, the beer-bellied Dex has things figured out. He's widely read in philosophy, he's studied Steve McQueen the prototypical cool American hero, and he's distilled Buddhism and Taoism into three laws that make him a hit with women: don't express desire, do something heroic in front of her, then retreat. A part-time job with young children, beer, guys, Frisbee golf, pool, poker, his dog Astro, and sex: what could be missing? Then, at his ten-year college reunion, Dex meets Syd, and the "Tao of Steve" may not be enough to get him what he wants. Plus, Syd remembers something important that Dex has forgotten. Can a cool smart guy, 50 pounds overweight, find his bliss?

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Plot Keywords:

college | seduction | dog | kindergarten | reunion | 

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Taglines:

Why do women find this man irresistible?

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some drug use

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

18 August 2000 (Canada)

Also Known As:

Dex, der Frauenheld

Filming Locations:

Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream Parlor - 1841 Cerrillos Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$91,791 (USA) (4 August 2000)

Gross:

$4,340,373 (USA) (15 December 2000)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Good Machine, Thunderhead Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min 81 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

When Dex is in Syd's office and she is printing out the pickup timetable, the inkjet printer makes a dot matrix printer sound.

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Quotes

Rick: This is almost as ridiculous as your sleeping diet.
Dex: That time I lost 30 pounds.
Rick: You also lost your job.

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Crazy Credits

Based on a story by Duncan North Based on an idea by Duncan North Based on Duncan North

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Connections

References Gomer Pyle: USMC (1964)

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Soundtracks

"You're So 1988"
(1998)
Performed by Epperley
Written by Dave Bynum (as David Bynum), Matt Nader, Dave Terry (as David Terry),
John Truskett
Published by Windswept Pacific Songs
Courtesy of Triple X Records

User Reviews

Ok, needs some work

This is a somewhat endearing indie flick, but it suffers from an amateurish script and inexperienced directing. For a movie that has the potential to be pretty funny, it takes itself far too seriously. The protagonist's 'stoner wittiness' becomes pretty monotonous and annoying preachy. If the movie concentrated less on being hip and ironic, and more on the characters, the film would be better.