The Dink
Dustin Chase
From the director of “Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar” and “Strays” comes another movie with more snickers and sneers than laughs. Josh Greenbaum’s “The Dink” is both making fun of pickleball as much as it’s celebrating the sport phenomenon. Greenbaum’s film has the ambition of “Happy Gilmore” or “Blades of Glory” but lead Jake Johnson (“Jurassic World”) is no Adam Sandler despite his scruffy voice. Thankfully “The Dink” doesn’t get as stupid as a Will Ferrell film but serves pretty low-ball comedy. What “The Dink” does have going for it is a “Harold and Maude” type friendship and the delightful Mary Steenburgen (“Book Club”) elevating the material way more than it deserves. Ed Harris (“The Lost Daughter,” “Dutton Ranch“) is a delightful curmudgeon as usual. His dialogue: “This is really stupid”, speak directly to the viewers experience.
A hot shot tennis player in his youth, Dustin Boyd (Johnson) is now a middle-aged stall out, who can’t stop making excuses as to why he is teaching tennis and Andy Roddick is a household name. His employer and father (Harris) is constantly being pressured to convert the many tennis courts into more pickleball courts. The conservative and level headed businessman devises a plan where one player from each sport will enter a duel and the winner pickleball or tennis, will decide whether they expand or not.
It’s unclear who the target audience for “The Dink” might be, which is often a problem for Apple Original Films.
Dustin wants to represent the tennis side, but his father has other ideas. In a twist of fate, Dusty meets Candace (Steenburgen) who not only changes his mind on the importance and fun of pickleball, but even country music.
Genuine chemistry between Dustin and Candace erode the films languishing stupidity. Stiller’s character who won’t stop talking about masturbation and Dusty’s best friend played by Aaron Chen offer comedy for the immature teenagers who might be watching. It’s unclear who the target audience for “The Dink” might me often a problem for Apple Original Films. Cleo King (“Pineapple Express,” “The Hangover”) known mostly for her character work on television is a good-hearted pickleball bully and delivers bursts of energy when the film drags. The foul here is Jack Johnson’s casting. Rarely funny or endearing, he never finds a way to even make this character likeable. It’s the kind of role Jonah Hill would have been doing ten years ago.
The writing has a few creative pickle innuendos and cheap jokes, but the flimsy plot has nothing but predictable turns. Dusty’s schtick of trying to convince everyone he is cool and not a loser is a bit that tires in the first act. Yet the screenplay exacerbates this unfunny bit for two more acts. Each time the camera cuts to Harris looking miserable, it’s unintentionally funny, again a reflection of how the viewer feels if they stick around that long. If there is something to learn here, it’s that we all still have more to learn from our elders and should let their experiences and failures serve as a teaching tool.
Final Thought
Not laugh out loud funny but rather snicker quietly to yourself amusing.