In Apple’s “The Dink,” washed up former tennis prodigy Dusty Boyd (Jake Johnson) has been reduced to coaching unruly children at his father Chuck’s (Ed Harris) suburban country club. Desperate for his father’s approval, Dusty blindly supports Chuck’s vendetta against the new craze taking over the club: pickleball. But when Dusty reaggravates an old injury, taking away his ability to play tennis, he resorts to the unthinkable in the name of rehab. He not only tries pickleball, but, thanks in part to his enchanting new partner, Candace (Mary Steenburgen), he finds himself actually enjoying it.
Torn between two worlds, Dusty is forced to finally face the ghosts of his past athletic failures, including his childhood nemesis, Andy Roddick (Andy Roddick). Ultimately, Dusty is drawn into a desperate battle for the future of the club, his father’s affection and his very identity.
“The Dink” is a laugh-out-loud underdog story from producer Ben Stiller (“Dodgeball”), directed by Josh Greenbaum (“Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar”) from a script written by Sean Clements (“Workaholics”). The all-star cast includes Patton Oswalt, Chloe Fineman, Chris Parnell, and Aaron Chen, with Andy Roddick and Ben Stiller.
The newly released trailer promises a hilarious mix of sports satire, generational clashes, and plenty of paddle action.
Ben Stiller steps in as a key voice of (somewhat reluctant) encouragement, telling Johnson’s character in the trailer: “I know pickleball is sorta dorky, but it’s the fastest road back to tennis for you.” Stiller also serves as a producer on the project, bringing his Dodgeball energy to another underdog sports story.
The stacked ensemble cast also includes Patton Oswalt, Chloe Fineman, Chris Parnell, Aaron Chen, and tennis legend Andy Roddick, adding layers of comedy and authenticity to the court-side antics.
Johnson, who admitted he knew little about pickleball before filming, shared how his perspective changed during production. “Our director, Josh Greenbaum, wanted to make it a real sports movie, so the pickleball is represented. We shot the hell out of the pickleball stuff, and it looks good,” he told Pickleball.com.
“The Dink” hits Apple TV on July 24, just in time for summer viewing when backyard courts and local tournaments are in full swing. With its blend of heartfelt comeback vibes and sharp comedy, the film looks poised to capitalize on pickleball’s massive cultural moment while poking fun at the sport’s quirky reputation.
If you’ve ever argued with family about whether pickleball counts as a “real” sport — or found yourself strangely addicted after one game — this trailer (and movie) is definitely worth checking out.
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I wish they got a more appealing actor than Jake Johnson — someone like a Ryan Gosling, or a John Krasinsky. Someone you’d actually like. In the trailer, you end up not giving a rat’s ass about Jake Johnson.