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The Silence of the Lambs

Play trailer Poster for The Silence of the Lambs R In Theaters Apr 26 1h 58m Mystery & Thriller Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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95% Tomatometer 159 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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Jim Murphy The Age (Australia) Jan 21
Gruesome but riveting. Go to Full Review Steve Murray Atlanta Journal-Constitution Sep 23
A brilliant, unnerving work, "Lambs" proves that pop filmmaking can make both the heart and mind race. Go to Full Review Wendy Ide The Times (UK) 08/02/2023
The crux of this excellent thriller is the battle of intellect and wills between them [Clarice Starling and Dr Hannibal Lecter]. Go to Full Review Mark Jackson Epoch Times 6d
5/5
The gathering tear in Lecter's eye after Clarice's confession is the brilliant pinpoint of light that ultimately redeems the blackness of this dark fairy tale. Go to Full Review Matt Brunson Film Frenzy Nov 26
4/4
One of the all-time great thrillers. Demme directs this for maximum suspense, yet the film also works as a multilayered feminist tale, with Foster's resourceful agent emerging as a beautifully conceived character. Go to Full Review Bryce Hanson Horror Movie Talk Sep 23
10/10
This film is probably the best example of the crossover between the Drama/Thriller genre and the Horror genre. The scenes with Buffalo Bill are viscerally horrific, but the psychological horror of Lecter’s interrogations of Clarice are just as disturbing. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Grace G Nov 28 Masterful! This is complete movie making in the highest order. See more Julian 03/04/2025 First time watching it completely through and was pleasantly surprised at how great this movie was. And fantastic performance by Hopkins See more eric 02/02/2025 Always a good movie....sound so much bettrr at the movies See more Color 02/02/2025 A true classic, amazing to see in theaters See more Joseph G @LicenseToChivalry007 Feb 26 One of the best movies of the 20th century. Thanks largely to the magnetic performances of Sir Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster, Scott Glenn, Ted Levine, and Jonathan Demme’s superb directing, The Silence of the Lambs has become immortalized as a film you can watch over and over again without getting bored. Everything succeeds here. The acting, screenplay, themes, and plot are so compelling that they keep the audience captivated from start to finish. What makes the film especially powerful is not only Clarice Starling’s internal struggle to prove herself and confront her demons, but also the classic good-versus-evil conflict full of twists and turns. Demme’s use of POV shots through Starling’s perspective is especially effective. Five stars all day, and I highly recommend seeing it if you have not already. See more William C. @WFCfilmdirector Feb 24 This is a rare perfect film. This transcends the typical horror film with the director's constant use of tight, direct-to-camera close-ups which forces an uncomfortable intimacy with the characters. While Anthony Hopkins' portrayal of Hannibal Lecter is the quintessential magnetic, high-functioning nightmare that dominates the zeitgeist, it is Jodie Foster's grounded, vulnerable portrayal that provides the character exploration of the suffocating world that Clarice inhabits. Plus in the haunting world where (alot, not all) transgenders commit horrible acts of violence, this film gives a realistic portrayal into their disturbing mindset. It’s atmospheric, highly intelligent, and relentlessly tense—a masterpiece for a reason. 5/5 10/10 See more Read all reviews
The Silence of the Lambs

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The Silence of the Lambs

A scene from the film "The Silence of the Lambs." A scene from the film "The Silence of the Lambs." A scene from the film "The Silence of the Lambs." A scene from the film "The Silence of the Lambs." A scene from the film "The Silence of the Lambs." A scene from the film "The Silence of the Lambs." A scene from the film "The Silence of the Lambs." A scene from the film "The Silence of the Lambs." A scene from the film "The Silence of the Lambs." A scene from the film "The Silence of the Lambs." View more photos

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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
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Apr 26, 2026
Release Date (Streaming)
Aug 27, 2015
Box Office (Gross USA)
$130.7M
Runtime
1h 58m
Sound Mix
Dolby Stereo, Dolby SR, Surround
Aspect Ratio
Flat (1.66:1)
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