Pickleball comedy sees Jake Johnson’s ex-tennis star chase a comeback
Developed over time first seen 2 months ago
Apple TV's new sports comedy "The Dink" follows Jake Johnson as Dustin Boyd, a failed tennis prodigy who rebuilds his self-esteem by taking up pickleball, in a film critic David Rooney calls watchable but formulaic. Produced by and co-starring Ben Stiller, the film seems to aim for the same comic niche that "Dodgeball" carved out for its own sport, but director Josh Greenbaum's efforts are hampered by a predictable script from Sean Clements, leaving even a comedy-heavy cast unable to inject much genuine humour into proceedings.
Johnson's character, once nicknamed "The Hammer" for his devastating serve, saw his professional tennis dreams end after a broken wrist during a junior title match against real-life former pro Andy Roddick, who appears in the film alongside John McEnroe. Dustin now half-heartedly coaches children at his strict father's (Ed Harris) tennis club, dismissing pickleball as beneath him until a chance encounter with Candace (Mary Steenburgen) draws him into the sport his father regards as an existential threat to tennis, setting up a rivalry that culminates in a climactic duel between the two disciplines' respective stars. The film, rated PG-13 and running 1 hour 43 minutes, is released on Apple TV on Friday 24 July.
- "The Dink" is a formulaic but watchable Apple TV pickleball comedy
- Jake Johnson plays a failed tennis prodigy turned pickleball convert
- Produced by Ben Stiller; released Friday 24 July on Apple TV
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Pickleball, once a niche backyard pastime, has grown fast in the United States, and its rise has become a familiar setup for comedy that pits it against more established sports like tennis. "The Dink" is Apple TV's attempt to mine that rivalry for laughs, following a well-worn template used by earlier sports comedies that built humour around underdogs and eccentric characters in a specific game.
The film centres on Jake Johnson as Dustin Boyd, a once-promising tennis player whose career stalled after an injury, who turns to pickleball to rebuild his confidence. It also features Ben Stiller as producer and co-star, alongside Ed Harris and Mary Steenburgen, plus cameo appearances from real tennis figures Andy Roddick and John McEnroe, blending scripted comedy with recognisable sporting faces.
The story matters mainly as a piece of entertainment news: it marks a notable release for Apple TV's slate of comedies and reflects a wider cultural moment in which pickleball's popularity has made it a recurring subject in film and television.
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Originally published by The Hollywood Reporter as “‘The Dink’ Review: Jake Johnson’s Failed Tennis Prodigy Restores His Self-Respect Through Pickleball in Apple TV’s Anodyne Sports Comedy”.