Jake Johnson's New Apple TV Pickleball Comedy 'The Dink' Is Elevated by Its Performances | Review

Who doesn't love a good sports comedy? The genre — defined by flicks like Happy Gilmore, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, and Major League, as well as series including Ted Lasso, Eastbound & Down, and the recently released Will Ferrell series The Hawk — doesn't necessarily lend itself to a ton of surprises. But in a well-crafted sports comedy, that won't stop us from laughing while we watch to see if the characters win the big game after all.

Now it's pickleball's turn to take the spotlight with The Dink. Yes, pickleball — you know, that sport that's kind of like tennis but with rules that are easier to understand? When it comes to story, the film itself is a mix of Dodgeball (which makes sense, considering Ben Stiller's involvement) and a little bit of the 2007 Andy Samberg daredevil film Hot Rod — but it's all delivered with a sweetness that makes it hard to resist.

What Is 'The Dink' About?

Dusty "The Hammer" Boyd (Jake Johnson) was once a tennis prodigy. Mentored by his father, Chuck (Ed Harris), Dusty went pro before he even graduated from high school. He was a sensation — until a fateful day in 2000, when he suffered a wrist injury after slipping in the bathroom during his match against Andy Roddick (playing himself). Nowadays, Dusty works for his father's country club, lazily teaching tennis to children. Almost nobody believes in him — especially not his father or his girlfriend (Chloe Fineman). The only person who supports him is his worshipful coworker PJ (Aaron Chen). Though it's pitiable, Dusty really has nobody to blame for his situation but himself, as he treats everybody around him as disposable while desperately trying to win back his father's approval.

Chuck warns Dusty and his staff about the rise of pickleball, fearing that it could soon take over the country club. But during a tournament match, Dusty suffers another wrist injury, and his doctor (Ben Stiller) suggests that pickleball could help heal him. After devoting so much time to ridiculing pickleball players at his family's facility, Dusty finally gives in, and is paired with Candace Boyd (Mary Steenburgen), a recent divorcee. Initially, the two are at odds — not shocking, considering that shortly before his injury, Dusty banned Candace from his family's facility. But as the two begin to warm up to each other, Dusty begins to realize that maybe, just maybe, pickleball isn't the death of the sport he holds so dear, but a chance to approach his athletic life — and his life in general — in a new way.

The story itself is about as formulaic and predictable as they come. But sometimes, if you play into the formula in a genuine way, you can still win over the crowd. And that's exactly what director Josh Greenbaum does with The Dink.

Jake Johnson Leads an Irresistibly Charming Cast in 'The Dink'

While The Dink may be the first Hollywood movie about pickleball, that doesn't prevent it from hitting predictable sports comedy beats. From the opening scene, where Dusty explains his backstory, you'l knowl instantly how the film is going to end. There is, however, an honesty to it. And a large part of that is due to its effortlessly charming cast, led by Johnson. Between his turns as Nick Miller on New Girl and Peter B. Parker in the Spider-Verse movies, Johnson has mastered the art of playing the lovable loser. And while Dusty isn't an upstanding citizen at the start of the movie, there's a kind of innocence to him that makes you instantly connect. He's an underdog in denial, and who doesn't love rooting for an underdog?

He also has stellar chemistry with Steenburgen's Candace, and their friendship gives the movie a greater sense of heart in addition to the laughs. She is much more grounded than Johnson's character, especially as he begins to develop romantic feelings for her. We've seen Steenburgen play roles like this plenty of times before, but it's always a pleasure to watch her play them. Chen is another major standout as the quirky and socially awkward PJ, who gets one of the movie's biggest laughs when he reveals his unusual secret love to Dusty.

The Dink also features a wide array of cameos from tennis pros like Roddick and John McEnroe, who both seem to be having a ball. Patton Oswalt is another perfect addition, as Chuck's pickleball-loving rival, Skip. Stiller also gets a few great gags, including a running bit where he tries to get Dusty to sign up for a dating app, and Fortune Feimster and Steve Berg make an impression as a pair of grunting pickleball players who could be siblings or a couple.

‘The Dink’ Doesn’t Always Know What Kind of Comedy It Wants To Be

For all of its charms, The Dink sometimes suffers from an identity crisis. It doesn't know what kind of comedy it wants to be: a full-on farce or something a little softer? Some characters are exaggerated, like PJ and Chuck, who gives a self-serious monologue in the first act comparing the rise of Pickleball to the COVID-19 pandemic. At the same time, characters like Candace, who reacts to Dusty's shenanigans more realistically, are far more grounded. There are moments where these two different comedic tones clash; there's a way to do it right, but The Dink does get noticeably sloppy at times.

But when the humor lands, it really lands. Almost every single character gets to play in this comedy (some more than others), and they are all fully aware of just how ridiculous the movie is. And while this isn't the kind of flick that will make you well up in tears, it does have an unexpected amount of tenderness to it.

Comedy is no longer one of the biggest genres in Hollywood, with many of the biggest comedy directors, like Paul Feig, Adam McKay, and Todd Phillips, shifting their interests elsewhere in recent years. With fewer comedies, obviously come fewer opportunities for new comedy filmmakers. But director Josh Greenbaum has found a way to defy those odds. Between his previous Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, and Strays, Greenbaum has shown how comedies can still work in the 2020s; given that streaming comedies are often forgettable filler, The Dink is a pleasant surprise. It's not groundbreaking, nor is it going to live in the ranks of the greatest sports comedies of all time. But it offers enough laughs and charm to keep you entertained for much longer than a pickleball match.

The Dink premieres on Apple TV on July 24.