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?

---

Plot Keywords:

seduction | sex | kindergarten | frisbee | philosophy | 

---

Taglines:

Why do women find this man irresistible?

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some drug use

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 September 2000 (USA)

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 USA:

$91,791, 6 August 2000

Gross USA:

$4,342,203

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$4,406,030

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.

---

Quotes

Dave: Fuck you, man. You're all Steve's and I'm Gomer Fucking Pyle, man? Fuck that. Screw you guys.

---

Crazy Credits

a multitude of thanks to ... Norma and Jack ...

---

Connections

References Amadeus (1984)

---

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

Good movie for Sunday night

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.