I think it was Cahiers du Cinema that named this the best American film of the 90’s. I agree with that almost whole heartedly. Sheryl Lee gives hands down one of the best film performances ever. The film is rife with Lynchian imagery, certainly, but the way he ties imagery to mythology to tone to mood to story has never been as complete as in this film. We see nearly everything that the series talks about—incest, drug use, prostitution—and its not pretty, but Laura’s fleeting moment of redemption before her murder is the most strangely satisfying film ending I can imagine.