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In this adaptation of Anne Tyler's novel, Lili Taylor is Evie Decker, a young woman in a small North Carolina town whose empty life revolves around keeping her father company and selling hot dogs at a local amusement park. While listening to an evening radio performance by charismatic local rock musician Drumstrings Casey (Guy Pearce), she feels a strong connection to the music she hears. Upon attending Drumstrings' next performance, she carves "Casey" into her forehead with a piece of glass, both as a means of getting his attention and a way to shake up her humdrum life. The result is a local media storm, which eventually sparks a relationship with Drumstrings. But after getting involved with Evie, his creative drive dissipates, thus endangering the storybook life she had envisioned with him.
Made in 1999, but not released until 2004, A SLIPPING DOWN LIFE is a funny, warmhearted fable that never stoops to making caricatures out of its small-town characters. Director Toni Kalem makes some key changes to Tyler's book that give the film a timeless, bittersweet quality. Guy Pearce, who sounds great singing the film's memorable, original songs, is believable as a struggling musician, and Lili Taylor adds yet another to her list of incredible performances in small, intelligent pictures.
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