October 24, 2006
CINEMATIC PHILOSOPHY AND ANTI-PHILOSOPHY
God, that really is the worst title for an entry I've ever written. No one's clicking on this link. They should, however, because it's about a movie I saw this weekend that I can't resist watching every time I catch it on cable and called The Tao of Steve. The indie film is about navigating the personal difference between perceived satisfaction and actual happiness in love.
The Tao of Steve that the title refers to explains the difference between Steve personalities and Stu personalities. As explained by the protoganist Dex (Donal Logue), Steves are ultimate cool, who always get women without even having to try, e.g. Steve Austin, and Steven McQueen. Stu characters are Gomer Pyles, Jugheads and Barney Fifes; likeable to be sure, but not getting the girls.
Despite his total lack of ambition, pathetic physical condition (he describes himself to the woman he's wooing as "Alright, now I'm a fat disgusting pig"), and willingness to do a few bong hits first thing in the morning before heading off to teach first-graders--very successfully--Dex has an incredible way with seducing women that he credits to practice of the Tao of Steve, i.e. women always want what is retreating from them.
Dex, despite his slacker lifestyle, is a farely erudite philosophy student even ten years out of college. He believes his life of total inambition and acculturated non-desire affords him happiness as defined by philosphers such as Buddha and Lao Tzu. Sleeping with one of his friend's wife allows him to be completely unentrappable in romantic entanglements.
Then Syd (Greer Goodman) shows up for a few weeks to live with Dex's friends. Their relationship remains antagonistic throughout, but eventually Dex realizes that a life without longing and desire might not be what he's looking for, while he finds it difficult to shed his Taoist gameplan.
There are a few things I love about this movie. One is the setting, which is in New Mexico, apparently a beautiful section of the country I can't wait to visit. Second is the cast. Unlike most movies--especially romantic comedies--filled with impossibly good looking characters, The Tao of Steve seems like it could be cast with people you might know. Greer Goodman in particular is an unconventional beauty one could see almost anyone becoming infatuated with. Third is the soundtrack. You'll just have to watch the movie to appreciate the excellent selection the music director picked out. Fourth--and this is probably just exclusive to a minority of people, including myself--is the desire not to dumb down the script. Dex and Syd debate the meaning of the opera Don Giovanni over the hood over a pick-up truck, Dex can be found casually reading an examination of the Gnostic Gospels while sitting on his beat-up couch in his driveway next to his dog, and the film's title obviously clues one into the fact that it involves the use of eastern philosophies as a way to get girls.
It's an entertaining movie. I recommend it.
Tagged:Posted by Lexiphane at October 24, 2006 8:32 AM
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