As World Cup FIFA fever cools off, while Major League baseball continues to simmer in the hot July sun, some fans may want to get their sports movie fix at the multiplex. Or better yet, on their big-screen TVs on a streaming app. Looks like Apple TV has just the ticket (without having to purchase a physical one). But no, this comedy isn’t in the world of soccer (yeah, football) or America’s pastime. You see, this activity is still pretty new, but it’s catching on. And it’s as addictive as the food in its name to many. It’s pickleball, though the title comes from that “hybrid’s glossary”, a soft “tap” called THE DINK.
Now, by “hybrid”, I’m referring to PB’s roots in another sport: tennis. This story begins with a young prodigy of that game, Dustin Boyd. We see him as a toddler, guided by his tennis pro pop, Chuck. As Dustin enters his teen years, his skills and ego expand, becoming known as “The Hammer”. But an agonizing defeat from a real-life “king of the court” quickly sends him into a downward spiral. Cut to now, as the almost middle-aged Dustin (Jake Johnson) works as a “pro” at his father’s (Ed Harris) ritzy tennis club. Tightening his “old school” headband, Dusty regales bored teens with tales of his former glory, while his adoring assistant PJ (Aaron Chen) delights with every word. All would be okay if not for the elders playing pickleball on a run-down court. In Chuck’s office, the PB liaison Skip (Patton Oswald) pleads for an extension to the club in order to offer more courts. Ah ha! Citing an obscure entry in the club’s handbook, Chuck tells Skip that this can be resolved in a “duel”, his best player against the PB champ. If Skip’s player wins, the expansion happens. If not, the pickleballers will vacate. Chuck holds a tryout (much to Dusty’s chagrin), and his son is victorious…until the ending jump over the net. Dusty busts up his wrist again…and he’s out of the match. And what does his doctor (Ben Stiller) prescribe? The dreaded pickleball. When Dusty goes to a big PB park, he encounters a trio of mature ladies. For a doubles game, he’s paired with the lovely divorcee Candace (Mary Steenburgen). The two squabble at first, then gradually a friendship begins. But could they “pair up” off the court? And does Dusty’s loyalty belong to tennis, and his pop, or will he join forces with this squad of scrappy seniors?
In his first leading film role since 2023’s SELF RELIANCE, Johnson channels his inner “man child” to make the often churlish, self-aggrandizing Dusty somewhat endearing. His boiling frustration is slowly tempered as Johnson delivers a convincing “character arc” when the “vets” inspire him to finally “grow up” ( and “grow a pair”). And unlike “The Hammer”, Jake’s a generous acting partner, particularly with the ever-radiant Ms. Steenburgen. She deftly mixes a cynical toughness with an aching vulnerability, especially as she contends with a dour ex-hubby. Happily, this Oscar-winner’s exchanges with Johnson crackle. Another screen stalwart, Harris, is the ultimate, hard-nosed “bad dad” who almost delights in slamming his “failed champ’ of a son. They all carry the emotional weight of the story, while the off-kilter, hysterical Chen expertly steals almost every scene with his strange comic timing. His PJ is a clueless goof with a heart of gold, despite a truly odd “kink”, reminding us of the old adage “whatever floats your boat”. Oswald is in full “dweeb” mode as the twitchy Skip, who won’t be verbally bullied by the dismissive Chuck. A couple of SNL vets have cameos: Chris Parnell as a club rival, and Chloe Fineman (who just exited the show) as Dusty’s conniving ex-girlfriend. The real tennis world is represented by iconic “racket-men” John McEnroe and Andy Roddick. Adding some sentiment are Candace’s pickleball sisters, Cleo King as the uninhibited Gail and Judy, played by the “queen of Pee Wee’s Playhouse”, yes, Miss Yvonne herself, the late Lynne Marie Stewart, in her final film performance.
Considering how much I enjoyed the director’s BARB AND STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR (just the silliness I needed during the “lockdown”) and the touching doc WILL AND HARPER, I had high hopes for the latest work from Josh Greenbaum. I did chuckle frequently, but it all seemed too familiar, with a tone reminiscent of the many sports comedies of Will Ferrell, who actually has a new Netflix sports-comedy series, “The Hawk”, set in the world of pro golf. Dusty’s another “child-man” confronting his past while trying to change his attitude and his career trajectory. And learning to care about others. Now, there’s what frustrated me. At around the midway point, the story seems to shift into a most unconventional (certainly for Hollywood) romance (the ole’ “May/December”). And then… the filmmakers “chickened out” in order to return to a “tried and true” finale/showdown. Maybe it didn’t “test well” or perhaps the “suits” nixed it, but this certainly derailed the plot’s welcomed detour. But the cast certainly has honed their “comedy chops” (looking forward to more of Mr. Chen), so their fans should find fun on the courts, although a bravado “love match” would have put me over “the line” and away from the “kitchen” (PB terms) with THE DINK.
2 Out of 4
THE DINK streams exclusively on Apple TV beginning on Friday, July 24, 2026
