WHAT'S EATING GILBERT GRAPE Copyright ©1993 Paramount Pictures What's Eating Gilbert Grape is the filmic inspiration that stands out the most. Just like Matters of Life and Death, it centers around a young adult reluctantly taking the role of the father and accepting responsibility for the weaker family members. For Gilbert, it is his mother and brother; for David, it is his two siblings. Both Gilbert and David are portrayed as broken heroes, enduring similar internal struggles. They get through their lives one day at a time with little thanks and even less help. What's Eating Gilbert Grape has a very reality-driven cinematic style as well. It is shot beautifully but simply. The characters do the talking.   KRAMER VS. KRAMER Copyright ©1979 Columbia Pictures Corporation Kramer vs. Kramer deals with the relationship between father and son in the same way that Matters of Life and Death deals with the relationship between two brothers. In Kramer vs. Kramer, Dustin Hoffman has a rather unhealthy relationship with his son. When his wife leaves and he must suddenly take over her role and responsibilities, his son reacts with resistance, even defiance, towards his parental efforts. The scene in which Hoffman must put his son to bed for misbehaving is an inspiration for David and Jon's fight in Matters of Life and Death; like Hoffman's character, David is acting in Jon's best interest, even if his only reward is Jon's anger.   IN THE BEDROOM Copyright ©2001 Good Machine In terms of cinematography and tone, In the Bedroom is the strongest influence. It is a great example of camera-induced tension. The story is simple without much dialogue, but the overall stillness and lack of camera movement effortlessly creates tense drama. There is something cold and dark about the world of the main characters, something that doesn't seem to exist for anyone else in the film.   THE NATURAL Copyright ©1984 TriStar Pictures The Natural is perhaps the greatest sports film ever made, certainly the best about baseball. It shrouds the sport in a sense of mysticism that makes it more than just a game – it has a mythology, a history, an importance in America as a national pastime. It is as interwoven in the fabric of American history as cowboys and apple pie. In Matters of Life and Death, baseball is a symbol of the everlasting perseverance of the American people, and it is treated with the same reverence embodied by The Natural.   ORDINARY PEOPLE Copyright ©1980 Paramount Pictures Ordinary People explores the ways familial relationships are affected by the tragic loss of a family member. The characters refuse to deal with their new situation and have difficulty relating to the people around them, much like Emily and Jon in Matters of Life and Death. Both reassimilating into society and coping with grief provide difficult challenges to the characters of both films.