A Slipping Down Life (1999)

Good movie but grossly overrated

A lot more amusing than I thought it would be.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

This is simply one of the most superb little films around. I'm always surprised when people have never heard of it. This film really capitalizes on the chemistry between Guy Pearce and Lili Taylor. I've liked many of the films Pearce has made, "Memento," "L.A. Confidential," etc. but "Slipping-down" life is in my opinion his best. He's a natural. One of the best working actors today. I just wish he were in more films like this one.I'm looking forward to seeing "Jack Irish." I saw him recently in "Hateship, Loveship" and he was simply terrific. The real downer in the film was Kristen Wiig, who was supremely awful. She was the antithesis of good acting. For the life of me I can't figure out how people can cast a supremely good actor like Guy Pearce next to the flat, boring, expressionless Kristen Wiig. I can't believe she continues to get acting jobs when she's so utterly boring. Okay, enough ranting.Watch and enjoy "A Slipping-down Life."

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.

Guy Pearce could have a career as a singer based upon what he does in this movie - the vocals he performs as "Drumstrings Casey" are phenomenal - and the always-brilliant Lili Taylor turns in another beautifully realized, multi-layered portrayal as Evie Decker, the film's center. What I liked most was how she wasn't a groupie or a pushover but rather a 3-dimensional person with a strong mind, and I liked how Pearce's character slowly came to realize that he needed her. Ideally, this should have been an overwhelmingly compelling film but it suffers from a weird kind of vagueness, which could have worked for the material but instead it pulls us away from it, so the ending isn't as satisfying as it could have been. Still worth catching on cable nonetheless, for the two brilliant central performances.

"A Slipping Down Life" was originally released at the Sundance Film Festival in 1999, but because of "creative differences" between the producers and the director/actors, it never was released...until now. Lion's Gate Films now owns the distribution rights. The film premieres in NY and LA on May 14th (elsewhere across the United States in late May/early June). I saw the movie last month at the Phoenix Film Festival. Toni Kalem, the director, was present, and she conducted a Q&A session with the audience after the showing. One of the common topics during this discussion was related to the differences between the book and the movie.While I haven't read it, it appeared that the die-hard fans of the book were totally drawn in and satisfied with the movie (and Anne Tyler, herself, gave her "official approval" to Toni Kalem's screen play adaption).Lili Taylor is absolutely brilliant in this movie, and Guy Pearce offers a performance you might not expect. Finally, before heading out to see this, make a point to grab a box of Kleenex - I found myself in tears more than a few times.