Shiner (2004): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2004, Shiner is a notable film directed by Christian Calson, running about 89 minutes. “Raising the subtext of "Fight Club'' into text, "Shiner'' depicts a pair of amateur boxers gratified by punching each others' lights out.” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. Raising the subtext of "Fight Club" into text, "Shiner" depicts a pair of amateur boxers gratified by punching each others' lights out. Theirs is among a trio of twisted love stories in the narrative feature by 29-year-old Los Angeles director Christian Calson. There's also a woman literally fighting her male lover's affections and another boxer who stalks his own shy male stalker. "Shiner" transcends sadomasochism in that no one seems aware of what he or she is doing. "I'm trying to look at desire head on," the soft-spoken Calson said by telephone. "('Shiner') is about the politics of wanting and being wanted and how people respond differently." Rife with ugly behavior, "Shiner" rejects the trend of queer filmmakers seeking straight understanding. "In L.A., we have this kind of sadness we carry around, that the only way we can make gay stories is by making more like 'Will and Grace,' " Calson said. Like the activist-filmmakers tackling the marriage issue, Calson went into "...

Who’s in it. Shiner stars Scott Parietti as Tony (as Scott Stepp), Derris Nile as Danny, Nicholas T. King as Bob and David Zelina as Tim, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 5.3/10, Shiner has proved divisive with audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Shiner page.