One of the most revealing scenes is the scene in which "W" is asked to identify his biggest mistake as President. The way he fumbles over this question, the close-up of the camera on his clearly distressed expression, and the eerie, foreboding silence in the press room all combine to reveal very important things about the character of George W.
This scene best reveals W. to the audience because it exposes his deep desire to be accepted, and also his confidence level concerning the way he handled being President. Part of the reason why he fumbles the question and never quite comes up with an answer is because he has never reflected on what he could have done differently. He is very good at learning from the mistakes of others, particularly his father's, but his own are a bit of a mystery to him. The other part is that he is utterly focused on producing an answer that will cause the least amount of criticism possible from the public, because he wants so desperately for them to love him. To admit, recognize, and verbalize his mistakes would be giving the public a list of things to scorn him for, which is completely contrary to his nature and the nature of the Presidency.
As it turns out, one of Bush's more ambivalent statement's turns out to be one of his most revealing. The way Oliver Stone portrays the tension in this scene in the film, using close-ups and a deafening silence, create a tangible atmosphere of discomfort. The viewer almost can't help but empathize with W's situation.
close up creates what kind of camera proxemics? Is the lighting high or low key, natural light? You need to look more at the visual impression the scene makes rather than the audio.
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