‘Dink’ Review: Apple TV+’s Routine Sports Comedy Revives a Failed Tennis Prospect with Pickleball

According to CinemaDrame News Agency, film critic Sophie Harrison writes in an exclusive review that the new feature film The Dink, directed by Josh Greenbaum and produced by and starring Ben Stiller, is a fresh sports comedy from Apple TV+ that attempts to do for the emerging sport of pickleball what the famous comedy Dodgeball did for dodgeball.

Written by Sean Clements, the film’s story revolves around a character named Dustin Boyd (played by Jake Johnson). During his teenage years, under the rigorous and intense training of his stern father, Chuck (played by Ed Harris), Dustin was recognized as a tennis prodigy, earning the nickname “The Hammer” for his heavy serves. However, during a pivotal championship match against Andy Roddick, he suffered a devastating defeat, and a severe wrist fracture crushed all his dreams of breaking into professional tennis.

Years later, a frustrated and unmotivated Dustin works as a children’s coach at his father’s tennis club, finding his sole comfort in exaggerating stories about his glory days to his talkative and idolizing friend, P.J. (played by Aaron Chen). The core of the film’s comedy stems from the arrogant and prejudiced stance that traditional tennis players hold toward the rising sport of pickleball, which is played with specialized paddles and perforated plastic balls. When a pickleball strays from an adjacent court and lands at Dustin’s feet, he insults Candace (played by Mary Steenburgen), the woman coming to retrieve it, and bans her from the club.

However, a rivalry brews when Skip (played by Patton Oswalt), a staunch advocate for pickleball expansion, attempts to take over Chuck’s tennis courts. Meanwhile, after re-injuring his wrist, Dustin learns from an eccentric doctor (played by Ben Stiller) that playing pickleball offers the best low-impact rehabilitation for his hand. Reluctantly forced to embrace the sport, he gradually teams up with Candace. Facing tough competitors, he discovers new pickleball skills and finds a second chance to prove himself and earn his father’s approval.

Critics note that despite a veteran cast and prominent comedians including Mary Steenburgen, Ed Harris, Patton Oswalt, John McEnroe, and Andy Roddick, the screenplay fails to break free from the formulaic tropes of underdog tropes. Nevertheless, Jake Johnson’s warm and high-energy performance, combined with Mary Steenburgen’s charm and scattered sports comedy humor, makes The Dink a breezy and entertaining watch.