The laughter is infectious as 'The Dink' serves up a side-splitting comedy that's pure pickleball pandemonium! This hilarious new sports romp delves into the world of the sport, often dismissed as 'pseudo-tennis', and turns it on its head with an outrageously funny take. Producer and star Jake Johnson plays Dusty, a middle-aged maverick known only as 'The Hammer', whose past tennis promise was brutally crushed by none other than young Andy Roddick – who makes a wicked cameo appearance as himself.
Now coaching at his dad's tennis club, Dusty's pride is slowly deflated by the presence of pickleball, a sport he loathes with a passion. His disdain is so intense it's practically palpable! That is, until he meets Candace – played by Mary Steenburgen – a passionate pickleball enthusiast who's as fiery as she is fun-loving.
But fate has other plans for Dusty. After suffering a wrist injury, his doctor, the hilarious Ben Stiller, prescribes a dose of pickleball therapy to get him back on his feet. To Dusty's surprise, he finds himself falling for the sport – and Candace – like a 'dink' drop shot into love! The film cleverly sidesteps the age-gap relationship issue, instead focusing on the comedic chemistry between our lead couple.
Adding to the tennis-world flavour, John McEnroe makes a show-stopping appearance as the commentator extraordinaire, spouting baffling one-liners that will have you in stitches! The supporting cast is equally impressive, with Australian comic Aaron Chen bringing the laughs as Dusty's hapless 'wingman' PJ, and Patton Oswalt as the über-enthusiastic pickleball fan, Slip.
'The Dink' is currently available to stream on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+, giving British audiences a chance to get in on the fun. With its light-hearted exploration of sports and relationships, this comedy has the potential to resonate with viewers looking for an engaging and entertaining watch – even if it's not quite BAFTA-worthy just yet!