Movie Review: ‘The Dink’

by | Jul 21, 2026 | Featured Post, Movie Reviews, Movies | 0 comments


Greetings again from the darkness. In 2004, we had a film based on dodgeball, so it only makes sense that the hottest game going these days, Pickleball, gets its shot on the big screen. Josh Greenbaum (WILL & HARPER, 2024) directs a screenplay from Sean Clements (“Workaholics”), and the result is a comedy in the realm of films like HAPPY GILMORE (1996), KICKING & SCREAMING (2005), and yes, DODGEBALL: A TRUE UNDERDOG STORY (2004). The film tries (too) hard to generate laughs, and its best moments seem to be in the sincere intergenerational bond between two otherwise mismatched characters.

Jake Johnson (“New Girl”) stars as Dustin Boyd, a one-time tennis prodigy whose pro tennis career was derailed by a wrist injury. Having been cultivated from an early age by his father (think Todd Marinovich), the collapse of his career also caused a break in his relationship with dear old dad, Chuck (Ed Harris), who now owns and runs a prestigious tennis club where he allows Dustin to train rich kids … although he spends most of his time telling stories about ‘what could have been.’ As the popularity of pickleball grows, tennis traditionalist Chuck fights the pressure from the pickleball contingent led by Skip (the always great Patton Oswalt). A quirk in the club by-laws sets up a duel – a match between the tennis proponents and the pickleball group.

Circumstances shove Dustin into the pickleball universe, and it’s this route that offers him a shot at regaining dad’s respect. Actually, pickleball is prescribed to him by his unconventional doctor played by Ben Stiller (also a producer on the film). Dustin thinks the new game is hokey, but he finds a true friend in Candace (Oscar winner Mary Steenburgen). This contrasts with RJ, his loyal assistant at the club (played by Aaron Chen, George on “Fisk”), who worships Dustin, but hesitates to call him out. Dustin and Candace are surprisingly good together – not just as pickleball partners against Gail (Cleo King) and Judy (the late Lynne Marie Stewart, Miss Yvonne on “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse”) – but as true friends.

The duel – traditional versus contemporary – ends exactly how you would expect, and it’s elevated by surprise appearances from a couple of real life tennis legends during the match. Jake Johnson is at his comedic best in slightly awkward situations, but much of this one is so obvious and generic, it’s difficult to give much credit to the comedy. The use of Country music and the classic film, THE GRADUATE (1967) are especially nice touches, as are supporting roles from Christine Taylor (Stiller’s wife) and Martin Kove (THE KARATE KID). The pickleball fans out there deserve their moment on the big screen, and they will hopefully find a few more laughs than I did.

THE DINK will premiere globally on AppleTV on July 24, 2026

David Ferguson
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