"The Silence of the Lambs" just arrived on Max at the beginning of May, and if you've never seen this movie before, it's a must-watch on the streaming service before it eventually leaves.
This crime thriller is so good, it's almost tough to know where to begin singing its praises.
"Silence of the Lambs" is a career-defining performance for two actors so successful that to this day, they are still instantly recognizable on face alone. It defined the serial killer movie genre.
It's also insanely quotable. I grew up in a small town where my high school had around 800 people, and despite those caveats, I had classmates who would quote this movie out of nowhere over 10 years after it came out.
So, whether you're a diehard fannibal of Hannibal the cannibal, have only seen the movie once or twice or have never seen it before, here's why you must stream "The Silence of the Lambs" before this crime thriller classic eventually leaves Max.
What is 'The Silence of the Lambs' about?
"The Silence of the Lambs" is based on the 1988 novel by Thomas Harris, the second such novel to feature the serial killer Dr. Hannibal Lecter. It's also the second film to feature the brilliant cannibalistic killer, though this movie is separate from Michael Mann's 1986 movie "Manhunter."
The crime thriller stars Jodie Foster as FBI trainee Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), an ambitious pupil of Behavioral Science Unit chief Jack Crawford.
Crawford is dealing with a spate of attacks by a serial killer known only as "Buffalo Bill" (Ted Levine). To try and score a breakthrough, he assigns Clarice to interview Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a former psychiatrist imprisoned for being a prodigious, cannibalistic serial killer.
Lecter sees through Clarice right away, but ultimately agrees to help her. His help comes with a cost, though, as for her to get insight into Buffalo Bill, she has to give Hannibal insight into her personal life.
That's a dangerous game to play when your opponent is an expert in both the human mind and killing people.
'The Silence of the Lambs' remains the pinnacle of the serial killer thriller genre
The dynamic between Clarice and Hannibal is the core of "The Silence of the Lambs." Both think they're smart enough to successfully manipulate the other, but only one of them is right.
Foster and Hopkins's performances are extraordinary, and in less capable hands this movie might have faltered, as Hannibal Lecter films had done before and have done since.
You need Foster to be believable as a complex protagonist — smart, driven and yet undeniably shaped by trauma.
You need Hopkins to be believable as Lecter, someone who can come across as reserved, collected and urbane, but also is totally believable as a master manipulator and sadistic killer.
It's that latter part that gives "The Silence of the Lambs" a refinement and prestige that the serial killer genre had lacked prior to the movie's release and has strived for ever since.
Yes, this movie is arguably about one gruesome killer taking down another he views as inferior from behind bars. But you could also reduce this movie to the scenes between Foster and Hopkins and have it be just as compelling.
Don't just take my word for it, either: The movie was a smash hit at the box office, bringing in over $272 million.
Critically, it was arguably even more impressive, becoming the first (and only) horror movie to win Best Picture and one of just three movies to win all five major Oscars categories: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and Best (Adapted) Screenplay.
The good news is that you can stream "The Silence of the Lambs now on Max, so if you've never seen it before, you can now easily rectify that mistake.
But unfortunately, like all shows and movies, this crime thriller classic will one day move on from the streaming service, so stream it now before it's gone.
Stream "The Silence of the Lambs" now on Max
Malcolm has been with Tom's Guide since 2022, and has been covering the latest in streaming shows and movies since 2023. He's not one to shy away from a hot take, including that "John Wick" is one of the four greatest films ever made.
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