The Tao of Steve
Sony Pictures Television | Release Date: August 4, 2000 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
70
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 30 Critic Reviews
Positive:
26
Mixed:
3
Negative:
1
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
100
Los Angeles TimesKevin Thomas
A constant, idiosyncratic pleasure that leaves us eager to see what the Goodmans and Logue will do next. Read full review
100
Boston GlobeJay Carr
One of the year's most winning performances, Logue's Dex will grow on you as he stumbles toward emotional fullness. Read full review
100
Rolling StonePeter Travers
Logue hits every note of humor and heart in his breakthrough role. Don't miss him. He's that good.
91
Entertainment WeeklyLisa Schwarzbaum
It's a tiny, sunny character study about a fat guy who's an unlikely chick magnet. And as such it's a pip. Read full review
90
SlateDavid Edelstein
Went down like a slice of warm pecan pie topped with two scoops of Ben and Jerry's Bovinity Divinity. Read full review
90
Washington PostMichael O'Sullivan
Wise, funny, sweet, sexy and kind. Read full review
90
Film.comSean Means
An offbeat delight. Read full review
90
Washington PostRita Kempley
Warmhearted, wonderfully witty. Read full review
88
New York PostJonathan Foreman
An ideal antidote to the big-budget bores that studios put out in late summer, The Tao of Steve is a charming, funny and refreshingly smart Gen-X romantic comedy in the tradition of "When Harry Met Sally" - with the bonus of an engagingly laid-back Southwestern flavor. Read full review
75
Portland OregonianShawn Levy
The picture is Logue's entirely, and without him, it might not be worth a visit. Read full review
75
Christian Science MonitorDavid Sterritt
Logue's magnetic performance is the movie's main virtue, supported by a good secondary cast and a sharply written screenplay. Read full review
75
New York Daily NewsJami Bernard
Outside of the leads, the acting is uneven, but The Tao of Steve has an unquenchable playful spirit. Read full review
75
Seattle Post-IntelligencerWilliam Arnold
Like most films in this overworked genre, it's as formulaic in its own way as a John Wayne western, and the characters and situations all have a gnawing predictability about them. Read full review
75
Baltimore SunChris Kaltenbach
A welcome anomaly - a shallow hero you root for. Read full review
75
Chicago Sun-TimesRoger Ebert
One of the things I like about the movie is the wit of its dialogue, the way sentences and conversations coil with confidence up to a conclusion that is totally unexpected. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalle
A modest but charming romantic comedy. Read full review
75
USA TodayStaff [Not Credited]
This quirky, winning sleeper from first-time director Jenniphr Goodman has its pokey moments, but it's no insult to say that it is as pleasantly easygoing as its slacker hero. Read full review
75
Philadelphia InquirerSteven Rea
Loose, eminently likable stuff. Read full review
75
Mr. ShowbizKevin Maynard
A charming movie. Read full review
70
The New York TimesA.O. Scott
Can't redeem the moves toward its predictable happy ending. But the movie has a protagonist who has a great time getting there. Read full review
70
Dallas ObserverGregory Weinkauf
Since the narrative's destination is awkwardly obvious, and the tone occasionally melts into a sticky-sweet mess like cotton candy in the sun, the movie is most often saved by its generous helpings of clever dialogue. Read full review
70
Film.comRobert Horton
A crowd pleaser, but there's something a bit prim and pre-determined about its conclusions. Read full review
70
TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonagh
So adorable you don't ever mind that the story's so slight it's in danger of shriveling up and blowing away, or that it drags a little in the middle. Read full review
63
Charlotte ObserverLawrence Toppman
Far too clever for its own good. Read full review
63
Chicago TribuneJohn Petrakis
The problem is that we never see Dex employing the Steve technique to bed a female. Read full review
63
San Francisco ExaminerWesley Morris
The vibe is acoustic-cafe: cute, catchy and ironic given its wimpy point of view. Read full review
40
Village VoiceJessica Winter
Can any American filmmaker other than the Farrellys make a rom-com in which the principals engage in activities apart from the tiresomely tireless dissection of rom? Read full review
40
Austin ChronicleMarc Savlov
It's the kind of film you feel like watching twice -- not because you found it that engaging to begin with, but because you didn't, and everyone else did. Read full review
40
Chicago ReaderLisa Alspector
The clunky plot is set in Santa Fe, and includes a foil character who might as well wear a sign on his forehead. Read full review
30
L.A. WeeklyPaul Malcolm
It's amazing that anyone still thinks this kind of shit can fly. Read full review
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