Heart of the Beholder is a 2005 drama film that was written and directed by Ken Tipton. It is based on Tipton's own experience as the owner of a chain of videocassette rental stores in the 1980s. Tipton and his family had opened the first videocassette rental stores in St. Louis in 1980; their business was destroyed by a campaign of Christian fundamentalists who objected to the chain's carrying the film The Last Temptation of Christ for rental.
The film showed at the 2005 Westwood Film Festival. Critic Ryan Cracknell summarized the film, "There's no shortage of material for writer-director Ken Tipton to work with here. That alone makes Heart of the Beholder a film of interest. It is in many ways a politically charged film as it touches on issues of freedom of speech, religious beliefs and all out fanaticism. Still, I didn't think it was charged with enough balance and I think a large part had to do with the film's inconsistent pacing."
The film won the best feature award at the 2005 New Hampshire Film Festival and the directors choice award at the 2005 Bluegrass Independent Film Festival.
Cast
Matt Letscher as Mike Howard
Sarah Joy Brown as Diane Howard
Greg Germann as Bob Harris
Anne Ramsay as Reeba Holings
Michael Dorn as Lieutenant Larson
John Prosky as Reverend Brewer
Arden Myrin as Patty
Silas Weir Mitchell as Lester
Priscilla Barnes as Miss Olivia
Chloë Grace Moretz as Molly
Jason Wiles as Deetz
John Dye as D.A. Eric Manion
Carrie Armstrong as Vesta
Conrad Bachman as Rudy
April Barnett as Rhonda
Katelin Chesna as Marci
Patty McCormack as Helen
Roseanne Benjamin as Vicky
Daphnée Duplaix as Detective Deborah Burbach
Susan Johnston as Joan
David Kelsey as Murphy
Michelle Paradise as Denise Weston