I’m happy to report that Apple TV’s The Dink is a must-watch for your next movie night.

The film follows Dusty, a former junior tennis standout sidelined by an unfortunate injury. In search of a way back, he picks up pickleball with hopes of rehabbing, returning to tennis, and finally earning his father’s approval. But once he steps onto the pickleball court, his priorities and his path begin to shift.

At its core, The Dink is a laugh-out-loud sports comedy that works for both pickleball newcomers and diehards. Featuring a stacked cast including Jake Johnson, Mary Steenburgen, Ben Stiller, Ed Harris, and Andy Roddick, it delivers a fresh spin on the classic sports redemption story.

Pickleball has popped up in films before, but never quite like this. From the opening scenes, it’s clear the filmmakers genuinely understand and appreciate the sport. The on-court play feels authentic—players use recognizable gear from brands like JOOLA, Selkirk, and Six Zero, and the mechanics actually look right. No awkward positioning, no kitchen confusion, just real, relatable pickleball with a comedic edge. 

Overall, the film strikes a perfect balance between believable moments and absurdist humor. One standout example comes where Dusty faces off against a team of relentless grunters, yelping and groaning every time they hit the ball. It’s the kind of thing that’s mildly irritating in real life, but absolutely hilarious on screen. The volume and intensity are just exaggerated enough to land the joke without feeling overdone.

At times, the humor does lean a bit raunchy, but it’s balanced by strong physical comedy and sharp, character-driven dialogue that keeps the laughs coming. Nearly every scene delivers something memorable, making it an easy, enjoyable watch from start to finish.

I also appreciated how the film captures the social side of pickleball. One particularly fun touch is the expectation that Dusty treats his fellow players to lunch after a few games, a nod to the community-driven culture that defines the sport. The story could have easily turned pickleball into a punchline, but instead, it presents it with genuine warmth and heart.

The performances elevate it even further. Ben Stiller is especially funny as the doctor who prescribes pickleball as treatment, while Aaron Chen delivers perfectly timed humor as Dusty’s sidekick. And Ed Harris shines as the strict, tennis-purist father and coach who views pickleball with disdain. It’s hard not to wonder how the cast managed to keep a straight face through some of these scenes.

The two women who befriend Dusty on the pickleball court are comedy standouts, delivering some of the film’s sharpest, most sport-specific humor. And of course, Johnson is exceptional as Dusty, balancing pitiful, spiteful, cocky, and surprisingly empathetic in a performance that holds the entire story together.

One of the most unexpected highlights comes from John McEnroe during the film’s climactic match. The mere fact that McEnroe appears in a pickleball movie is funny in itself, especially given his recent on-air criticism of the sport during Wimbledon. In The Dink, he leans into the bit perfectly, commentating from the crowd with the same intensity he brings to tennis broadcasts, striking an ideal balance between authenticity and comedy. His interactions with Steenburgen’s character are an added bonus, making his cameo even more memorable.

The end result is a film that’s fun, energetic, and consistently entertaining. The Dink delivers plenty of laughs, but more importantly, it treats pickleball with a sense of respect. Here, the sport isn’t the punchline, it’s part of the joke in the best possible way.

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