The Tao of Steve

"We pursue that which retreats from us."

If that sounds at all Buddhist or Daoist to you, there's a reason. The main character in Jenniphr Goodman's The Tao of Steve, Dex has a complete set of rules and behaviors to follow when picking up on women and dating. Most of his ideas and theories come from his studying in college, but presumably some of it comes from experience as well. The bulk of Dex's ideas make an odd sort of sense as the movie begins, but as the action wears on, his affectations wear thin and he finds himself having to unlearn what he's programmed himself to know.

As for the rest of us, we've been programmed to know that most film soundtracks don't have the really way cool songs that we hear in the movie and buy the soundtrack for. Ahhh, but this too must be unlearned for the sake of The Tao of Steve. Every song that plays a major role in the film is happily found within the confines of the plastic disc bearing the name of the movie.

The soundtrack is almost more fun than the movie itself! I actually heard the soundtrack a couple of weeks before I saw the film and right away, I could have sworn I was listening to a new-fangled mix tape. Most of the tracks are from non-mainstream acts and that's quite a blessing. I don't know what I would have done if Britney Spears or her brethren had come screaming out of my speakers at me.

One of the best .. well, a few of the best parts of the soundtrack are the television title themes included in the set of music. Any soundtrack that has not only "The Six Million Dollar Man" theme and the "Hawaii Five-O" theme but also a remixed "Hawaii Five-O" theme is golden in my book. The remixed theme at the end of the disc is titled "Martini Five-O" and that's more appropriate than you may realize. It's a very lounge-lizardy sound and my money says you're going to find yourself with the sudden urge to hit the beach or toss back a strong drink or two. Every time I hear it, though, I half-expect Chris Isaak to start crooning in time with the guitars and waves.

If you're looking for a disc to bounce along to, this is it. If you're looking for a disc to relax with, this is it. If you're looking for a soundtrack that perfectly compliments the film it's derived from but isn't chock full of moment specific sound, this is it. My recommendation? Get the soundtrack, then go see the movie.