DINK, THE

(director: Josh Greenbaum; screenwriter: Sean Clements; cinematographer: Carl Herse; editor: Greg Hayden; music: Dara Taylor; cast: Jake Johnson (Dustin Boyd, The Hammer), River Beier (Dustin at 3), Ed Harris (Chuck Boyd), Indiana Elle (Sadie), Aaron Chen (PJ), Mary Steenburgen (Candace), Cayden Romero (Blake), Chloe Fineman (Marisa), Martin Koye (Mitch), Christine Taylor (Bea), Patton Oswalt (Skip), John McEnroe (Himself), Andy Roddick (himself), Ben Stiller (Dr. Stone), Chris Parnell (Neil); Runtime: 102; MPAA Rating: PG-13; producers: Jake Johnson, John Lesher, Rob Paris, Ben Stiller, Mike Witheril; Apple original Film; 2026)

“There are enough silly physical jokes to make it work.”

Reviewed by Dennis Schwartz
 
Sitcom maven Josh Greenbaum (“Will & Harper”/”Strays”) directs a goofy, Adam Sandler-like, pickle-ball comedy that’s written by Sean Clements. There are enough silly physical jokes to make it work. It also features celebrity cameos from sports people like John McEnroe.

The middle-aged Dustin ‘Dusty’ Boyd (Jake Johnson), nicknamed The Hammer as a teen tennis prodigy because of how hard he hit the tennis ball, has never recovered his confidence after losing a match as a teen to the future tennis pro champ Andy Roddick. Dusty’s now a washed-up tennis pro after suffering from a recurring wrist injury and thereby pursues pickle-ball upon the advice of his doctor (Ben Stiller), even though he hates the sport. This upsets his father (Ed Harris), who doesn’t consider pickle-ball a sport. Meanwhile Dusty coaches at his father’s tennis club.

Dusty begins to take a liking to pickle-ball after introducing it to dad’s struggling country club and being complimented for his play by the great pickle-ball fan, the elderly Candace (Mary Steenburgen). She becomes his mentor, and the pairing of these two stars gives the sports pic some juice.

REVIEWED ON 7/25/2026  GRADE: B-
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