The Silence of the Lambs
Clarice Starling is a top student at the FBI's training academy. Jack Crawford wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter, 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.
February 14, 1991 · Directed by Jonathan Demme
What's been said
Viewers and critics have long regarded The Silence of the Lambs as a landmark thriller, with near-universal acclaim that has only solidified over three decades. The element praised most consistently is the central dynamic between Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster: reviewers describe their scenes together as spellbinding cat-and-mouse exchanges, and Hopkins' calm, intelligent menace as Hannibal Lecter is singled out as one of cinema's great villain performances. The most persistent criticism, one that has grown louder over time, centres on the queer-coded portrayal of Buffalo Bill, with LGBTQ+ critics and audiences arguing that the character reinforces transphobic stereotypes, a concern that cast and crew have since acknowledged regret over. Notably, it remains the only horror film to win the Academy Award for Best Picture, and one of only three films ever to sweep all five major Oscar categories.
Will you actually like it?
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Trailer
