The Silence of the Lambs

Starring: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins, Scott Glenn, Ted Levine
Directed by: Jonathan Demme
Rating: R
Genre: Thriller, Mystery
1991

Times Seen:
Tim: 1

Summary: Clarise Starling (Jodie Foster) is an intelligent FBI trainee assigned by her boss, Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn) to get some information about a current case from imprisoned psychotic but extremely intelligent Dr. Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter (Anthony Hopkins). Now Clarise is in a race against time to probe the mind of one of the most gruesome criminals in history in order to save the daughter of a senator, who has been kidnapped by a mysterious serial killer called "Buffalo Bill". Clarise must not only race against the clock, but be wary not to get too close to Lecter, who's own work as a psychiatrist makes him an even more potent danger.

Review:

Tim: Thrilling, suspenseful...brilliant. The Silence of the Lambs features chilling scenes, riveting performances, and will keep you on the edge of your seat. One of the most famous and talked about movies of all time, the film is a must-see for any movie fan. If you have not yet seen this film, it really is a tragedy- go now and pick up a copy.

Tim: The best aspect of this film is the incredible performances given by both Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins. Foster is perfect in her role as Clarise Starling, bringing her character to very vivid life. Foster more than deserved her Oscar for Best Actress. Her performance is a must-see.

If Foster's performance was amazing, then there are no words to describe Hopkins in this movie. From the cold expressions on his face to the beautiful dialogue to the appearance of incredible intelligence yet utter insanity and psychopathy, Hopkins makes the character of Hannibal Lecter one of the most memorable villains in any movie. Lecter stands out in the minds of so many as the most chilling and evil villain ever. A man who takes pleasure of literally eating his victims is in a word, sick. Hopkins as Lecter will chill you to the bone. His Oscar for Best Actor helps illustrate the extraordinary performance he gave. Everyone should see this film, if for nothing else, then for Hopkins' performance.

In rating this film, I had some difficulty. In some aspects the film is an outright 10, but an underlying slowness in a few parts hurts, as does some of the graphic scenes involving Buffalo Bill. My suggestion to all you movie fans out there is to take my rating with the consideration that the film is a must-see, no matter what the rating is. The Silence of the Lambs is a chilling, suspenseful classic that simply screams to be watched.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: 8



If You Enjoyed This Movie, We Recommend: Hannibal, The Edge, Contact