By: Lana K. Wilson-Combs
NO FAULT HERE: "THE DINK" HAS GAME
While the debate continues over whether pickleball deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as tennis, there's no debating the sport's exploding popularity, particularly among middle-aged and older players.
That's the playful launching point for
"The Dink," an amiable, if uneven, sports comedy from director
Josh Greenbaum ("Will & Harper") and screenwriter
Sean Clements (TV's "Lex" and "Unstable"), with
Ben Stiller ("Focker-in-Law") serving as co-producer as well as starring in the film.
The movie's title refers to one of pickleball's signature shots, a "dink," a soft, carefully placed shot that barely clears the net forcing opponents into a finesse game rather than a power battle.
"The Dink" doesn't always score points for its humor, which is definitely hit-and-miss, but the capable cast led by Jake Johnson, ("Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse"), Mary Steenburgen, ("A Dog's Perfect Christmas"), and Ed Harris (TV's "Dutton Ranch") keeps the film from landing in the net.
Johnson plays Dusty Boyd, a former tennis phenom whose promising career imploded after he intentionally broke his own wrist to avoid facing a rising young Andy Roddick. It's a decision that destroyed both his confidence and his relationship with his demanding father and coach, Chuck (Harris).
Years later, Dusty still works at his father's struggling Mountain Crest Tennis Club, where growing demand for pickleball has members lobbying for new courts, much to the frustration of Chuck, who views the sport as little more than a passing fad. Dusty drives an aging clunker, isn't exactly thriving personally, and remains, in Chuck's eyes, the son who squandered greatness.
After re-injuring his wrist, an eccentric doctor (Stiller) prescribes the one sport for his rehab that Dusty can't stand: pickleball. Reluctantly he teams with a player named Candace (Steenburgen). While they don't initially hit things off well, it's not long before Dusty begins discovering there's more to the game--and to himself--than he ever expected.
Greenbaum keeps things moving through the familiar beats of an underdog sports comedy, and while none of it breaks new ground, the predictable journey is entertaining.
Harris brings just enough snark and bite to keep Chuck from becoming a one-note grump, while Steenburgen gives Candace real character and quiet confidence. The supporting cast, includes Patton Oswalt, (TV's "Star Trek: Strange New Worlds"), Chloe Fineman, ("Freakier Friday"), Chris Parnell, (TV"s "Breaking Bear"), (Wayne Wilderson, "Trust"), and Aaron Chen (TV's "Make that Movie") as Dusty's quirky buddy P.J. Chen contributes a few laughs, even when the script strains for them.
Tennis fans will especially appreciate cameo appearances by John McEnroe and Andy Roddick, both playing heightened versions of themselves. "The Dink" builds toward the inevitable showdown to determine if pickleball deserves precious court space at Mountain Crest.
Roddick, in particular, proves he has surprisingly sharp comic timing when Dusty finally plays the tennis legend--that he spent years avoiding--in a grueling match.
In all, the film's good-natured silliness often outweighs its weaker jokes, and its affectionate ribbing of the sport never turns mean-spirited.
Like pickleball itself, "The Dink" may not win over every skeptic, but with the game gaining in popularity, the timing couldn't be better for Hollywood to continue serving up films that showcase the sport.
It may not be a grand slam, but thanks to its easygoing sense of fun, "The Dink" comes out as a winner for embracing its own ridiculous premise and having a good time doing it.
Editor's Note: Be sure to catch my N2Entertainment.net movie talk segment on the Kitty O'Neal Show Fridays at 5:17 p.m. and 6:47 p.m. on radio station KFBK 93.1 FM and 1530 AM.
Watch This Trailer For
"THE DINK"
Lana K. Wilson-Combs is a member of the Broadcast Film Critics Association (BFCA), The American Film Institute (AFI), and a Nominating Committee Voting Member for the NAACP Image Awards.
