'The Dink' Review
- Michael Petrey
- 2 minutes ago
- 2 min read
Release Date: 07/24/26 [Apple TV]
Genre: Comedy. Sport.
MPAA: Rated PG13.
Distributor: Apple TV.
The Verdict: A Maybe
The Dink plays it safe, never straying far from its formulaic story arc, but still manages to tap the ball just over the net in this amusing, lighthearted romp. Jake Johnson brings his reliable goofball charm and likability to The Dink as Dustin Boyd, a once-promising young tennis star whose professional career fizzled out before it even began. While his pro tennis aspirations were dashed at a young age, his arrogant, yet not completely unfounded, ego survived to his present-day adulthood. Dustin finds himself working at his father’s (and former coach) country club. His father, played by the always effective Ed Harris, is perpetually embarrassed by his son and his squandered opportunity at tennis stardom. When a faction of Pickleball enthusiasts threatens the sanctity of the tennis-focused tradition of his club, Dustin sees this as an opportunity to save the day and prove to his father he is still worthy of his father’s respect and admiration. This plan is short-lived, however, as Dustin manages to aggravate an old wrist injury and ironically ends up being doctor-prescribed to play pickleball to rehab his injury.
This is the gist of the story, and you can probably see why I referred to it as formulaic. It comes off a little cheesy, but at its core, The Dink has a beating heart powered by quirky misfit supporting characters throughout. Dustin’s right-hand man, and only friend and confidant, worships the ground he walks on and is loyal to a fault. Aaron Chen, who plays PJ, is hilarious and delivers several impeccable one-liners.
Mary Steenburgen is charming as always as an older divorcee who is visiting the club and crosses paths with Dustin. Their relationship evolves from being at each other's throats to unlikely friends and a potential for unorthodox romance. In addition to this centric relationship, you also get fun albeit brief cameo experiences from tennis stars Andy Roddick and John McEnroe, as well as comedic staples Chris Parnell, Ben Stiller (also a producer on the film), and Patton Oswalt. There is also a laugh-out-loud appearance by actress Lynne Marie Stewart, who I sadly learned passed away in 2025, making this her final performance. She is charming and charismatic and delivers some unexpected laughs in her final role as Judy, a sweet older lady who takes pickleball seriously and isn’t afraid to knock Jake Johnson’s character off his self-erected pedestal.
The Dink is a fun watch. It may not have the same rewatch value for me as some other cult classic comedies such as Dodgeball or Old School, but it’s worth at least the initial trip, and for some it may even have some lasting power and potential to become a cult hit. Time will tell, but for now it’s well worth an afternoon streaming watch for some well-earned laughs and a hodgepodge of naturally likable characters who effortlessly rally this pickleball comedy to a well-deserved win.
