Clarice Starling is a young and upcoming cadet at the FBI academy with a penchant, and according to her grades and instructors, a natural talent in the field of abnormal psychology. Starling is hand selected by FBI big wig Jack Crawford (played by Scott Glenn) to assist in finding a missing girl in the ongoing "Buffalo Bill" case.

All roads in this case so far have led to nowhere, so Clarice begins her assignment by unknowingly trying to task the criminally insane psychiatrist Hannibal Lecter with psychologically profiling the Buffalo Bill killer. Lecter reluctantly agrees, but not before Starling lets the flesh eating doctor peek into her own troubled psyche.

This is it, the movie that made Hannibal Lecter a household name, destined for greatness as soon as Anthony Hopkins went "pft pft pft pft pft pft."

So much of this films greatness lies on the shoulders of Foster's Starling, but even more so on Anthony Hopkins' preeminent portrayal of Hannibal "The Cannibal" Lecter. Lecter just oozes personality; he's got all the charisma of a politician who's kissing babies, except for the fact that Hannibal would rather eat the babies than kiss them! The notable thing about his performance is he's incredibly charismatic and horrifyingly insane at the same time, he could make you feel at ease while he's eating your face if that was his prerogative.

Also, not to be forgotten is Ted Levine's awesome performance as the wannabe transgendered Jame Gumb. The director leaves no stone unturned in showing that this man is a very clever, yet extremely disturbed individual.

I can't rightly think of anything that I didn't like about this movie, the pacing was very good, the storytelling, and character development was well done, there was a bit of gore, what some might consider nudity although it's very disturbing, and if you find yourself titillated by it, seek professional psychiatric help immediately. Put another tick mark next to "must see" for this one. If you haven't already, go buy it....Now.

10 out of 10 vivisected police officers artfully hung in the Jesus Christ pose.