Crisp and brilliant

Rating: 10/10 (24 April 2011)

The Silence of the Lambs (1991) reigns supreme as one of the greatest thriller movies of all time. Jonathan Demme reaches cinematic perfection by combining writing, direction and acting of the highest calibre together to form a classic that blows the usual mediocre thriller out of the water. The film tells the story of young FBI Agent Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) and her quest to help find the serial killer Buffalo Bill. To find Buffalo Bill, Starling requires the help of Dr Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a brilliant psychiatrist who is imprisoned for his cannibalistic behaviour.
The Silence of the Lambs is excellent in all aspects of production and form. The dialogue is crisp, poignant and always essential, resulting in a film that is pulse-racing and highly absorbing. The presence of pretentious or stilted dialogue is negated early on in the movie, Clarice referring to a contrived reference as "too hokey for Lecter". Never a dull moment, the Silence of the Lambs is masterfully suspenseful as Hannibal Lecter is always one step ahead; his omnipotence, humour and theatrics providing the audience with a villain that is as charming and likable as he is perturbing. The performances are incredible; Hopkins unforgettable as the cannibalistic Lecter, while Foster is compelling as Clarice Starling, playing the young FBI Agent with understated confidence and assertion. Clarice is created as a feminist character with incredible subtlety; she remains unfazed by the advances and gazes of on looking men throughout the film, focused solely on prevailing in her male dominated field of work and uncovering justice. The chemistry between both of the actors is undeniable, Clarice's freshness and subtlety boding well with Hannibal's abrasive and supercilious behaviour.
Twenty years on, time does not appear to have worn upon the Silence of the Lambs, Demme's masterpiece still considered as one of the greatest psychological thrillers of all time. With strong performances, an intense score and a no-nonsense script, The Silence of the Lambs elucidates the seemingly forgotten art of story telling to create a film that is captivating from start to finish, and chillingly lingers in the mind long after it has been viewed.
This superb film rates a 10/10 from me. I do wish I could review longer, but I'm having an old friend for dinner...