As the picture begins, Dex (Donal Logue) is attending his 10th college reunion. A decade earlier, he was the king of the school; now, he's an overweight shlub who avoids responsibility and carries on an affair with a friend's wife. Dex is blindsided by the appearance of Syd (Greer Goodman), a former classmate to whom he finds himself still attracted. Syd is borderline appalled by Dex and refutes his attempts at seduction.

Donal Logue searches for nirvana in The Tao of Steve

We quickly learn that Dex is an avid philosophy buff who happens to believe that Steve McQueen is the greatest philosopher of all time. He has comprised a set of rules inspired by McQueen's persona (and other manly men named Steve) which he insists are foolproof in getting women into bed with him. Roughly stated, the rules revolve around the principle "we are attracted to that which retreats from us." Dex happily shares his philosophy with his roommate Dave, who is trying to make a sincere romantic attachment with a girl of his own. He gives Dave the following advice: deny his sexual attraction, "be excellent in her presence," and then "be gone."

Although this mind game works with many of the women Dex encounters, it doesn't work on Syd. Part of the reason why it doesn't work is that, in her presence, he does not take his own advice. There is clearly something different about her, something that hits him on another level. Dex is, in fact, falling in love. It becomes painfully clear that his attempts at applying philosophical principles to dating are not going to compensate for his slacker lifestyle this time.

The Tao of Steve is the latest in a recent series of films about the need for some men to grow up. Swingers and High Fidelity are two other examples. What these films have in common is that the men are not as perceptive as the women. The male characters believe they can find the key to romantic bliss in an attitude, or a pop record, or a Steve McQueen movie. The female characters, in contrast, are smarter and more together. In each movie, a strong female inspires the male protagonist to give up his childish ideas and join the adult world.

Although the terrain is familiar, The Tao of Steve still entertained me. I really liked Dex, who is among the most 3-dimensional movie characters of the year. Logue (Reindeer Games, The Patriot) perfectly captures the slacker mentality. He generally believes that life is not worth the effort, that pleasing oneself is the key to happiness. There's a funny moment in which Syd asks Dex what he looks for in a woman. His answer: "Low standards." At the same time, it's hard not to care about Dex. His ability to absorb all that philosophy means that he has some intelligence. I also found it quite appealing that he was subconsciously unable to use his tao on Syd. With this character, you can really see the truth underneath the bluster. Although it's a small film, I hope Logue is remembered at Oscar time for his full-bodied performance.

The movie has a very unusual credit at the end: "Based on a story by Duncan North. Based on an idea by Duncan North. Based on Duncan North." North is one of the writers, and the movie definitely has a personal ring. I'm not sure you can create a character like Dex without having been him to some degree. The screenplay is occasionally sparse, but it's filled with smart, witty observations about dating and male immaturity. Director Jenniphr Goodman keeps the pace flowing, helping us to understand Dex's transformation.

I suppose that the course of the plot is predictable, but the ending isn't. Well, let me rephrase that. What will happen is predictable, but the way it happens is not. Everything culminates in the final shot, a moment that is more about possibilities than certainties. And that's a fitting conclusion for a movie in which philosophy plays such a crucial role. After all, isn't philosophy all about discovering what life might have in store?

( out of four)

The Tao of Steve is rated R for language and some drug use. The running time is 1 hour and 28 minutes.