The Tao Of Steve is one of the most quoted movies in the PUA community by some members. If you keep in mind that it's entertainment there is an amazing amount of knowledge here for AFCs and a lot of entertainment for PUA's.
"Supreme simplification of all the Speed Seduction techniques into 3 perfect steps"
Ash
(1) Thou shalt not be lustful. Remain indifferent.
(2) Thou shalt demonstrate excellence once upon meeting. (Kind've like Mystery's routines.)
(3) Thou shalt be somewhat scarce after demonstrating excellence. (In other words, do a take away.) (In other words, Cialdini's principle of scarcity)
Good rules, all (though we all know Rule 3 is best skipped when all signals are go). Alas, they forgot the most important rule:
Thou shalt not get hung up on any one chick. However, Dex does demonstrate this rule well, at least until the female protagonist gets her hooks in.
Of course, this is a romantic comedy, so Dex does wind up in the arms of the monogamy-demanding female lead. (Probably he'll cheat, but the movie doesn't speculate on that.)
Flaws? The part that annoys me most is near the end, when Dex disclaims all the teachings (including the three rules) he's spent the movie imparting to his young protegee Dave. A real-life Dex would know that, even if he now chooses one woman, his time as a PUA has allowed him to make a real choice (so he doesn't have to settle out of desperation, like many men do) and expanded his relationship skills.
Other flaws: we're given no convincing reason why he chooses the female lead over every other woman he's dated; and the end is utterly predictable.
Still, it's well worth seeing for Dex's dialogue and attitude. High points are when Dex tells us what "The Tao of Steve" means, and when he goes camping with the female lead. I'm tempted to appropriate his discussion of God (while camping) as an opener.
Ross Jeffries about The Tao of Steve, I hope you can see his plugs :) He's a sneaky salesman :)
I went to see this enjoyable film in Chicago,with an SS student, when I was out there teaching the recent SS seminar.
There is a turning point in the movie. This is when Syd,the female lead is talking to Dex about the opera she's doing the set designing for. She mention's it is Don Giovani.
She then says to Dex, who she KNOWS likes Kierkegaard,the philosopher(she's seen his bookshelves and notes one of the K books):
"Do you know what K said about Don Giovanni?
Dex: No....
Syd: He said that Don Giovani had to love a thousand women..(pause)...because he was afraid he could never truly be loved by ONE woman.
(We can see this metaphor is hitting home hard with Dex..she's SARGING HIM!)
Syd: K said that sooner or later, you have to TAKE A LEAP OF FAITH....and DECIDE TO LOVE THIS PERSON!
You can see from his facial expression it goes RIGHT IN!
Syd uses my rule of establishing you are an authority on WHO the person currently is and then lead them to the response you want them to have.
He's using his behavior/rule based system, and she comes along with SS languaging and kicks his ass.
NO ONE caught it who wrote about the movie..but I did....so did my student.