The only “formalist” moment in this film is the famous “Vertigo” shot in the scene “Get Out of the Water”. As mentioned in the course material, the directors are trying to express their experience of reality through distorting the material world. This is illustrated through the manipulation of this shot to re-form reality.
I believe that Spielberg chose to use it at that moment to allow the audience to feel the emotions that Brody was experiencing. It allows us to gain an insight on Brody’s mental state throughout the scene. Panic and fear are usually kept within an individual and others may not be able to observe it. For example, before writing an exam someone may be anxious on the inside, but appear calm and collected. In this film, displaying