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Although it's an acquired taste, any fan of AMC's "The Killing" will quickly pick up on the parallels in this unusual murder mystery. It features two oddly paired police detectives, one from the El Paso police and another from Ciudad Juarez. As in the killing, the female detective is dedicated but personally challenged by an imbalanced personality and a singular drive to follow her leads to the bitter end. Unlike other viewers, I like Diane Kruger in the role and think we're only seeing the beginning of her personality development: I do believe she is an Asperger's sufferer and captures the traits of one afflicted with this quite well. There are many high-functioning and accomplished individuals with these symptoms all around the country, and in many ways, her focus on the details and minutiae of this case will help rather than hinder her along the way.

As her mismatched Mexican partner in the investigation, Demian Bechir possesses all the odd charm of his counterpart in "The Killing," the streetwise and pragmatic Detective Holder.

I've never seen a TV program that focuses on a sensitive border issue or the tragedy of so many murdered girls in Juarez, so I applaud FX for giving us something truly original. "The Killing" is the only thing remotely comparable to it, and I actually like the same type of slow unraveling of a gripping mystery we're being drawn into. I'm so weary of the CSI and Law and Order one-hour quick kill and wrap-up compacted into one hour of predictable procedural. I'll definitely keep watching!

I'll make my comments short and sweet since so many others have managed to express what makes this film a true Noir masterpiece.

I've watched it about a dozen times now since its release and I rarely watch even a good film more than once or twice. This one just has so many layers that make it interesting, and I don't think you can catch all the witty rapid-fire dialog after one or two viewings.

For me, there is one scene that I rewind and watch over and over again because I think it's truly one of the great cinematic orchestrations ever: I speak of the Albert Finney (Wow, what a consistent pro he is!) scene in which he's home relaxing with a cigar and "Danny Boy" (the definitive Irish-American anthem) playing on the Victrola near his bed. Then all he** breaks loose and we see Finney/Leo dashing under the bed as he senses the gangsters slipping up the stairs, dispatching them quickly after carefully extinguishing the cigar. He then grabs a sheet, swings out the second floor window as the house burns down, grabs the confiscated Tommy gun and dispatches the gangster army one by one with great precision while standing outside in his robe and slippers. Satisfied that he's vanquished the enemy, he tenderly pulls out the cigar from his robe pocket, torches it up again, and proceeds to enjoy the final refrains of Danny Boy as the house burns. Amazing scene! Not only was it incredibly well-constructed by the Coens, but Finney plays it with such a sense of "just another day at the office" that you can't help wanting to light up a cigar of your own to enjoy it with him.

I can't get that scene out of my head and have even dreamed about it. A few years ago, I would have rated this film around an 8, but after watching it and the entire, almost-perfect film repeatedly, I have to concede it's become an all-time favorite, and I'd rate it 11 if I could! Great cast (particularly Finney, Byrne, and Harden), great screenplay, fantastic cinematography, and the Coen Brothers are the only team that could have pulled this one off so well: about the best in American film.