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The Silence of the Lambs

1991 · Movie · R · 119 min

★ 8.3(18,813)unSUB Rating

CrimeThrillerDrama

Clarice Starling, a top student at the FBI training academy, is pulled into a dark investigation and tasked with interviewing a brilliant, imprisoned psychiatrist. Her contact may provide insight into a series of murders, but it also puts her in the path of a dangerous mind.

Based on The Silence of the Lambs

Where to watch

Watch free on Hoopla, Kanopy, The Roku Channel +3 more — also streaming on Amazon Prime Video, Peacock, fuboTV +3 more.

2 hours to watch.

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Details
Years
1991
Release date
1991-02-14
Language
English
Rated
R
Runtime
119 min
TMDB rating (input)
8.3/10 (18,813 votes)
Box office
$272,742,922
Budget
$19,000,000
About

You’ll likely enjoy The Silence of the Lambs if you want an intense, unforgettable psychological thriller with top-tier tension and memorable performances; Not for you if you dislike dark, unsettling crime stories or want lighter thrills like Seven or Zodiac.

Pros: relentless suspense; standout performances; iconic thriller | Cons: upsetting content; some pacing drag; may feel unrealistic

Themes

  • prison
  • based on novel or book
  • kidnapping
  • psychopath
  • fbi
  • scientific study
  • murder
  • serial killer
  • psychological thriller
  • brutality
  • cannibal
  • psychiatrist
  • +14 more

Awards & recognition

  • Academy Award — Best Picture · 1992
  • Academy Award — Best Actress · 1992
  • Academy Award — Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay · 1992
  • Academy Award — Best Actor · 1992
  • Academy Award — Best Director · 1992
Show all 29 awards →
  • BAFTA Award — Best Actress in a Leading Role · 1992
  • BAFTA Award — Best Actor in a Leading Role · 1992
  • Writers Guild of America Award — Best Adapted Screenplay · 1992
  • Boston Society of Film Critics Award — Best Supporting Actor · 1991
  • Chicago Film Critics Association Award — Best Actor · 1991
  • Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association Award — Best Actor · 1991
  • Directors Guild of America Award — Outstanding Directing – Feature Film · 1991
  • Golden Globe Award — Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama · 1991
  • Kansas City Film Critics Circle Award — Best Actor · 1991
  • National Board of Review Award — Best Supporting Actor · 1991
  • National Board of Review Award — Best Director · 1991
  • New York Film Critics Circle Award — Best Actor · 1991
  • New York Film Critics Circle Award — Best Actress · 1991
  • New York Film Critics Circle Award — Best Director · 1991
  • Saturn Award — Best Actor · 1991
  • National Board of Review Award — Best Film
  • National Board of Review: Top Ten Films
  • Academy Award — Best Actor · 1992 · nominated
  • Academy Award — Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay · 1992 · nominated
  • Academy Award — Best Film Editing · 1992 · nominated
  • Academy Award — Best Picture · 1992 · nominated
  • Academy Award — Best Sound · 1992 · nominated
  • Academy Award — Best Director · 1992 · nominated
  • Academy Award — Best Actress · 1992 · nominated

Cast & crew

Directed by Jonathan Demme