Can’t get enough of pickleball? Well, why not watch a movie about it? And there’s a potentially good one on the way in The Dink by Apple TV.
Yes, you read that right! Apple TV is set to premiere its latest comedy film, The Dink, next month, bringing pickleball into the spotlight through a sharp sports-comedy lens.
The film stars Jake Johnson as Dusty Boyd, a washed-up former tennis prodigy who finds himself coaching unruly children at his father Chuck’s (Ed Harris) suburban country club. Dusty, desperate for his father’s approval, backs Chuck’s vendetta against pickleball—the new craze sweeping the club. But when Dusty reaggravates an old injury, tennis is no longer an option. Rehab leads him to the unthinkable: pickleball.
Dusty not only tries the sport, he begins to enjoy it, thanks in part to his new partner Candace, played by Mary Steenburgen. Torn between tennis and pickleball, Dusty must confront the ghosts of his past, including his childhood nemesis Andy Roddick (Andy Roddick). The story builds toward a desperate battle for the future of the club, his father’s affection, and his own identity.
The cast is stacked with comedic talent—Mary Steenburgen, Ed Harris, Patton Oswalt, Chloe Fineman, and more. Ben Stiller makes a cameo as Dusty’s doctor, while also producing the film. The trailer leans into the Dodgeball connection, billing The Dink as “From Dodgeball producer Ben Stiller.”
Apple released the trailer today, and it plays very much like a classic sports comedy in the Dodgeball vein. The Dink premieres exclusively on Apple TV on Friday, 24 July, promising a mix of sharp humour, sporting rivalry, and the unlikely charm of pickleball.
Watch the trailer:
