The Dink Movie Review

​If you’ve ever been stood up by a friend because they had to suddenly go play a game of pickleball instead of going with you to a planned event, you’ll get this movie. What does it say about you that you’re not sharing their love of the game?

Some people consider Pickleball to be dorky, but have they given it a shot? This movie is about just that and a club owner, Chuck (Ed Harris), who refuses to recognize the game. His son Dusty (Jake Johnson) gives it a try, but not Chuck. What’s going on is that Chuck’s club is filled with people, such as the self-appointed head of the Pickleball society, Skip (Patton Oswalt), to see to it that Chuck has an open mind about the sport.

He needs Chuck to share tennis courts with the pickleball players and expand where they can play. Their community is growing, and it’s the future of the club. In a slide presentation, he mentions that even Tay Tay (Taylor Swift) and Oscar winner Jamie Foxx play the game. He pushes, but one must have an open mind to switch from one game to another, especially one as beloved as tennis has always been. Dusty was a champ at tennis, and if he can open his mind to the game, anyone can. You even?

This is the first and probably last film about Pickleball. If you don’t like the sport, but you have a funny bone, trust that director Josh Greenbaum, who directed the often hilarious “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar.” They are similar in tone, with affable, endearing individuals. Not a nice character is Chuck, though, who wants to stop the craze from overtaking his club and the world. Too late!

This will be liked throughout the Pickleball community, which has a language all its own, develops friendships with people they might not have otherwise, and, try as they might, attempts to get the tennis crowd to join… because they’re just nice like that, plus they want to show them up.

The movie illustrates that when you open your mind to it, as Dusty finally does, you can see that you have found a new love. His new bestie Candace, played by Mary Steenburgen, tells him that the game is for everyone; you just need to “dink” the ball, not slam it so hard it pops up too high and gets crushed.

There are overblown caricatures here, no doubt, but not so much that your Pickleball pals won’t blush a little, knowing they see themselves on screen, such as when Candace heckles tennis pro Andy Roddick when he steps into the “Kitchen.” They have their own jeers, usually related to cooking of some type. It’s a bit slow at times but gives the movie a chance. PJ (Aaron Chen) is an aggravating and unnecessary character. The movie would have been better without him, but his character is used to a degree to tell you a lot about the game itself, in case you are unaware of what the big deal is. There is some good dialogue involved in explaining the game. This film will be most appreciated by those who love the game, and those who have lost them to it. The line “old-fashioned ‘Dink Off ‘” about killed me. You’ll understand more when you see it.

“The Dink” is available to stream on Apple TV today.