The Tao of Steve is a philosophy for picking up chicks: to bed a woman you must first be desireless; then you must be excellent in her presence; finally, you must retreat.
Not exactly Mr. Handsome
This is the approach Dex (Donal Logue) has been taking, and it works surprisingly well, especially considering that Dex is not exactly Mr. Handsome. Anywhere he goes in Santa Fe, at least one girl walks up to him and says ‘hi’ in that knowing manner.
Dex meets his match when he meets Syd (Greer Goodman), a beautiful woman from his past who has her own philosophy on love. Drawing from Kierkegaard and Don Giovanni, she says that men who sleep around are simply afraid of facing love. The plot is funny and the dialogue insightful as Dex and Syd fall prey to each other’s philosophy.
The Tao of Steve is a low budget film from first-timers Jenniphr Goodman, Greer Goodman, and Duncan North. It was shot in and around Santa Fe with the eye of a native. Surprisingly, it doesn’t have that bad-actor smell too common in low-budget features. It has the look, sound, and feel of a solid, polished movie.
With its smooth polish, original writing, and good acting, The Tao of Steve makes a very good, slightly cynical, modern romantic comedy.