🍿 The Dink (2026) – Apple TV+
Rating: 6.5/10
Director Josh Greenbaum channels the goofy spirit of mid-2000s sports comedies. Jake Johnson is perfectly cast as Dusty. He plays a washed-up tennis prodigy forced to play pickleball for rehab. He carries the movie with his signature exasperated charm. He lands genuine laughs even when the script plays it safe.
The supporting cast elevates the predictable material. Ben Stiller steals his few scenes as an eccentric doctor. Ed Harris brings surprising gravity to the domineering father role. The actual pickleball matches are shot with high energy. They make the ridiculous court rivalry feel oddly high-stakes.
Strengths:
- Jake Johnson’s deadpan delivery keeps the humor grounded and consistently funny.
- Fun, energetic cameos from real tennis legends like Andy Roddick and John McEnroe.
- Captures the absurd generational war between tennis purists and pickleball players.
Areas for Improvement:
- The romantic subplot feels entirely rushed and lacks real emotional payoff.
- Relying heavily on standard sports-movie clichés makes the third act incredibly predictable.
A light, easygoing comedy that scores enough laughs despite its completely predictable formula.
