“The Dink” is a comedy about Pickleball. But it’s just as much about tennis — a sport I’ve played for about 20 years. Some tennis films have worked, like “Battle of the Sexes” and “King Richard”, and others used too much slow-motion… (ahem… “Challengers”…). “The Dink” gets my tennis movie seal of approval because it takes the sport — and Pickleball — seriously, while also having a lot of fun. Director Josh Greenbaum (of “Barb & Star”, “Strays” and the upcoming “Spaceballs” sequel) and writer Sean Clements (TV’s “The Grinder” and “Ash vs. Evil Dead”) deserve a lot of credit for the humor, specific details and overall approach they took with this movie.
Jake Johnson plays Dusty Boyd, a child tennis prodigy whose career was cut short due to an injury. He’s worked for his father Chuck (Ed Harris) as a tennis instructor at his country club. A new injury on the court forces Dusty’s doctor (played by Ben Stiller, who also serves as a producer of “The Dink”) to prescribe him Pickleball. (Stiller’s scenes are among the film’s raunchiest — pushing the PG-13 rating.) But Dusty hates Pickleball. Chuck reviles it too. There’s a hilarious scene where Harris describes the Pickleball phenomenon as an epidemic destroying the world.
Dusty meets Pickleball player Candace (Mary Steenburgen), who’s about 30 years his senior. They form a friendship on and off the court. Will it turn into something more? “The Dink” goes down the romance paths, making the runtime feel a little long, especially in the middle. But Johnson and Steenburgen have great chemistry. Patton Oswalt and the late Lynne Marie Stewart (Miss Yvonne on “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse”) also have standout moments.
“The Dink” feels like a throwback to 2000s and early 2010s comedies, like “Anchorman”, “The Hangover” and “The Other Guys”. There’s a carefree spirit and overall positive vibe, a dry style of humor, smart one-liners and laugh-out-loud moments, celebrity cameos, and a story with legitimate surprises and something to say. I had a good time watching this — it’s the funniest film of 2026 so far. The final section is genuinely entertaining, making “The Dink” a worthy addition to the sports comedy genre.
LCJ GRADE: B
Running Time: 103 min.