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The Silence of the Lambs

Play trailer Poster for The Silence of the Lambs R Released Feb 13, 1991 1h 59m Mystery & Thriller Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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95% Tomatometer 153 Reviews 95% Popcornmeter 250,000+ Ratings
Jodie Foster stars as Clarice Starling, a top student at the FBI's training academy. Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn) wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a brilliant psychiatrist who is also a violent psychopath, serving life behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Crawford believes that Lecter may have insight into a case and that Starling, as an attractive young woman, may be just the bait to draw him out.
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The Silence of the Lambs

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Critics Consensus

Director Jonathan Demme's smart, taut thriller teeters on the edge between psychological study and all-out horror, and benefits greatly from stellar performances by Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster.

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Critics Reviews

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Wendy Ide Times (UK) The crux of this excellent thriller is the battle of intellect and wills between them [Clarice Starling and Dr Hannibal Lecter]. Aug 2, 2023 Full Review Jay Scott Globe and Mail A failure that is a function of its success. Dec 7, 2022 Full Review Kathy Huffhines Detroit Free Press Throughout the movie, Demme gets across more terror than a dozen Friday the 13ths by showing not the horrifying thing itself but the faces of people looking at horror. Rated: 8/10 Mar 23, 2022 Full Review Nadir Samara Screen Rant Its impact on movies is still being felt today, and it includes arguably the best performances of both Foster and Hopkins' careers. Rated: 9/10 Nov 10, 2024 Full Review Mark Johnson Awards Daily Suspenseful and shrewd, Hopkins’ Lecter is one of the most fascinating villains in film (despite less than 20 min of screen time). In spite of his contemptible reproach and steely demeanor, there’s just something about Lecter that makes us root for him. Jun 8, 2023 Full Review Terry Francis Southern Voice (Atlanta) Most books, plays or films never give us even this much. Yet The Silence of the Lambs gives us so much that it's a shame the film doesn't find ways to deepen its concentration on the colossal aberrance of the minds of its complementary terrors. May 9, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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William E There are not many films as deeply chilling as this. A must watch for any film lover. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/21/24 Full Review Spike D Put simply, it's one of the greatest films of all time. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/19/24 Full Review Tasha L So incredibly good. Great acting, incredible atmosphere, amazing plot, nothing negative to say. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/09/24 Full Review Mate P The Silence of the Lambs is an amazing dialogue-based movie with terrific acting performances. The characters are spectacular, Clarice Starling is a perfectly-written protagonist, the audience can always see what she feels. That is also a praise to the acting performance from Jodie Foster. Hannibal Lecter is menacing and charming, which is a weird combo, but works tremendously. The antagonist's story is very unexpected and refreshing. The plot is unpredictable and exciting even though the script relies on dialogues and they were very well-written, since the movie worked perfectly. The cinematography is outstanding, there are a few amazing shots where the camera basically shows a character's point of view, I loved those. The editing is great, the pacing is perfect. The film is never boring or rushed. The soundtrack is amazing, the casting is perfect. The acting is Oscar-worthy from both leads. The Silence of the Lambs is a masterpiece, one of the greatest psychological thrillers of all time. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 12/01/24 Full Review Holden B Misleading. Not a single lamb. Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 11/29/24 Full Review William B Must see thriller film. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 11/22/24 Full Review Read all reviews
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The Silence of the Lambs

The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - It Rubs the Lotion The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - It Rubs the Lotion 1:44 The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Screaming Lambs The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Screaming Lambs 2:13 The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Buffalo Bill The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Buffalo Bill 2:50 The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Quid Pro Quo The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Quid Pro Quo 2:07 The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Love Your Suit The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Love Your Suit 2:06 The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - What Does He Do, This Man You Seek? The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - What Does He Do, This Man You Seek? 2:10 The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Pitch Black The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Pitch Black 2:13 The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Closer! The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Closer! 2:09 The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Fava Beans and a Nice Chianti The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - Fava Beans and a Nice Chianti 2:00 The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - You Ate Yours The Silence of the Lambs: Official Clip - You Ate Yours 1:39 View more videos

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The Silence of the Lambs

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Movie Info

Synopsis Jodie Foster stars as Clarice Starling, a top student at the FBI's training academy. Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn) wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a brilliant psychiatrist who is also a violent psychopath, serving life behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Crawford believes that Lecter may have insight into a case and that Starling, as an attractive young woman, may be just the bait to draw him out.
Director
Jonathan Demme
Producer
Ronald M. Bozman, Edward Saxon, Kenneth Utt
Screenwriter
Thomas Harris, Ted Tally
Distributor
Orion Pictures
Production Co
Orion Pictures
Rating
R
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Feb 13, 1991, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 27, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$130.7M
Runtime
1h 59m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Dolby SR, Surround
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.66:1)
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