I love this movie. It is of the genre of the absurd life in a small southern town and the humor is understated. For that reason it is apt to be unrecognized as such. But it is the North American version of magic realism with the unlikely being taken in stride by the characters and the likely made interesting. On the surface it is a tale of two people who are confused for very different reasons, who find that together they make one functioning whole. His reality is that of the artist who puts together words and images to make a feeling, and hers is him. She loves his music, words and the man. He needs security and someone to attend to reality. She is not beautiful but she understands him. He makes a plain girl who normally hides from the world into someone who values herself and enables them both to change. I love his songs too.

"A Slipping-Down Life" tells a story of Evie Decker (Lili Taylor) who is about thirty years old and she still lives with her father. She has a pretty boring life and she works as a bunny in a local kiddie park. Then Evie hears a new vocalist Drumstrings Casey (Guy Pearce) on a radio. Evie gets caught up in a deep fascination about unique-styled singer.She really believes that Casey has real talent. Evie realizes she never will be free if she doesn't act and her whole life will pass before her eyes."A slipping-Down Life" is a love story which makes you laugh and cry. It is a story about different people who have same aim in life but will need a little push to achieve happiness. I don't usually like Guy Pearce but in this movie I absolutely loved his character as Drum! He made a huge impression by singing all the songs himself. Lili Taylor makes a subtle work as quiet and lonely Evie who still has a great personality bubbling underneath.All in all I was very positively surprised by this film based on a novel by Anne Tyler. This movie is great for a hunger of romance. Two thumbs up!

I watched this movie on a rainy day when I had nothing else to do...and b/c it has Guy Pearce. I usually find Lily Taylor really annoying and strange but she does pull innocent off well. So many moments in this movie are AWKWARD. LOL but I found her father poignant and wistful. One other commenter mentioned that there were 13 original songs- one of the songs is Elizabeth Jade which I recognized instantly as a Robyn Hitchcock song (Jewels for Sophia album). It did break my heart to see Evie's father in law insult her in front of her own father. As a parent thats hard to see... Another thing: Guy Pearce is obviously a super attractive man usually. But I do NOT understand how any of the woman here thought he was so great- his character that is- was gruff and he just spoke a lot less than I prefer out of a man. I'm surprised he didn't just grunt through the movie. He does have a good accent. This movie is depressing. I never read the book and I don't plan to but based on the other comments here it does seem as though Evie's character should of remained a teenager. Irma P. Hall was hilarious and thank god for her role/character - it lent some much needed lightness.

I really enjoyed this little-known, low key movie.The story is very simple, with little drama or fanfare, it unwinds slowly, and will touch anyone who thought they were invisible or an outcast despairing of ever being loved.Evie Decker is a lonely young woman living with her loving, aloof widower father and Drum Casey is a lonely young man from an abusive, hateful father and apologetic mother, both decidedly lower class and an embarrassment to him.Evie becomes obsessed with Drum, carves his last name into her forehead, and her ardor seduces him - both seek love and find it with each other, although they're an unlikely pair.I really liked it, and Guy Pearce as Drum is beautiful with a seductive, smoky voice and you can see why Evie would fall in love with him.The ending is left to the viewer's imagination. When Evie gives Drum an ultimatum, does he return to her? It's unclear, and purposely so. When they ride off together, is he really in the car, or is he just "with" her in spirit? He mentions on the radio that the band is heading to Nashville, and she's sold the house and packed everything into the car.Either way, is it a happy ending? It's satisfying either way.