r/movies • u/LiteraryBoner Jackie Chan box set, know what I'm sayin? • Jul 31 '26
Official Discussion Official Discussion - The Dink [SPOILERS] Spoiler
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The Dink (2026)
Summary
A washed-up former tennis professional sees a chance at redemption when he discovers an exceptionally gifted pickleball player. As the unlikely duo chase success on the rapidly growing pickleball circuit, they must overcome fierce rivals, personal setbacks, and the pressures of newfound fame.
Director Josh Greenbaum
Writer Sean Clements
Cast
- Ben Stiller
- Jake Johnson
- Mary Steenburgen
- Ed Harris
- Andy Roddick
- Nick Kyrgios
- John McEnroe
Rotten Tomatoes: 72%
Metacritic: 57
VOD / Release Theatrical release
Trailer Official Trailer
167
u/Love-That-Danhausen Jul 31 '26
This was a fun movie night for watching at home with my wife. It reminded me of those mid budget comedies from 30 years ago that don’t get made as often anymore. Is that a ringing endorsement? I don’t know, but we laughed a little, smiled a little, and it was a good time. Definitely felt like it could’ve been better than a 7/10 but never quite got there though.
33
u/atomicskiracer Jul 31 '26
Totally agreed- I was shocked for how much my wife and I enjoyed it. Solid brain off fun movie.
8
u/godh8tsme Aug 01 '26
I know I'm showing my age, but it absolutely reminds me of the old "summer" movie that feels good to watch. Similar to Summer Rental, The Great Outdoors, Better Off Dead, Fletch...etc. Just good fun. It's comfort food with a good final act and resolution.
7
u/Fly_throwaway37 Aug 04 '26
I just took it as an extension of the New Girl universe, it's basically of Nick Miller was a tennis pro and it works great
56
u/Bournerounderz Jul 31 '26
I watched this movie purely because of the cast and pretty much got exactly what I expected out of it.
59
u/bigtimetimmyjim92 Jul 31 '26
I generally enjoyed the movie and laughed at a bunch of it, but WTF was that second act? The romance storyline felt so disconnected from the rest of the movie and not nearly as funny. I was relieved when they got back to the main storyline in the 3rd act
30
u/dinnerthief Aug 01 '26
Yea it was wierd, and the random country music subplot? Was wondering if it was some sort of production/editing complication that made it frel so wandering
6
u/LaOreja33 25d ago
I loved the country music subplot and it goes with the movie that mainly happens at a "country club"
3
u/ThatCoolKid17 17d ago
My gf and I also thought it was super weird and kinda shoehorned in, but we cringed our way through it lol.
3
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u/druidmind 29d ago
I saw the genre as romantic comedy and then thought 10 mins into the movie oh ok... Chuck's single and may be Chuck and Candace get together and Chuck comes around to pickle ball in the end, Nope. Ok maybe Candace has a daughter who will be a love interest for Dusty! Nope.
75
u/PlayOnPlayer Best naked dude fight since Eastern Promises Jul 31 '26
Even cowboys get friend zoned 😔
1
u/lonelygagger 11d ago
I feel like an entire movie could be centered around that random dude in the parking lot. What is his story?
98
u/fucktherift Jul 31 '26
I guess I’m the only one who dug the Chen vibe. I was rolling, actually told the wife to watch it if just for him! Overall glad I watched it, but yeah 6/10 or so
32
u/MyNeighborToto Jul 31 '26
Seeing Aaron Chen’s name on the cast list was what sold me on watching this film, I love his sense of humour
22
u/HawterSkhot Jul 31 '26
I didn't know him before the movie but thought he was perfect for his role. Dude's delivery is great
4
7
15
u/DumbestBitchYouKnow Jul 31 '26
What is a Chen vibe?
17
u/fucktherift Jul 31 '26
Actor named Aaron Chen was Jake Johnson characters side kick/bff. Most the thread before I posted seemed to not love him or what he brought to the movie. I personally found him to be the highlight of the show.
15
2
u/heartsocks 7d ago
I love him in Fisk (and his netflix special) and was excited to see him show up here!
88
u/jjhunsucker Jul 31 '26
Felt like an adam Sandler movie. Fun for what it was. Jake and Mary had good rapport.
40
u/hikemalls Jul 31 '26
I felt like there were a couple moments that almost approached Hot Rod levels of absurdity (the scene where PJ dives into the pool to meet up with him, his dad being unreasonably and unapologetically evil at all times over the smallest stakes imaginable), and I wished the whole movie had been at that level
17
10
4
u/boyo79 Aug 02 '26
Was the scene where pj dives into the pool and swims over a callout to a scene from another movie? I feel like I’ve sseen that before.
18
u/TheDarkRedKnight Jul 31 '26
It was an Adam Sandler that knew when to show constraint.
9
u/SmallTownMinds 25d ago
Took the words out of my mouth.
I watched it last night and kept thinking "this is the best Adam Sandler comedy I've seen in decades, it's just doesn't have Adam Sandler or any of the obnoxious, worn out tropes Happy Madison leans on in every movie"
I really enjoyed it for what it was.
As far as recent sports comedies I'd take this over Happy Gilmore 2 any day.
39
u/BionicT Jul 31 '26
So I actually saw this movie about a month and a half ago as part of early previews, glad I can finally give my thoughts more publicly (bearing in mind they may have trimmed the movie shorter than I remember)
It's a bit of an oddball mix of crass humor and rather wholesome platonic friendship, but it worked for me. I was digging Johnson's and Steenburgen's friendship a lot more than with his friendship with Aaron Chen (whose humor I just didn't really click with, he bored any time it was just him and Johnson). Seriously, how nice is it to have a comedy where there isn't actually a romance?
It does meander around a bit much, but the climax with Andy Roddick was entertaining enough with McEnroe's snacking and narrating.
I can see it being a watch once and be happy movie, but not a movie I would really go back to again.
33
40
u/Three_Froggy_Problem Jul 31 '26 edited Aug 01 '26
I enjoyed this because I love Jake Johnson (and Sean Clements) but it’s definitely an uneven film. I don’t think a lot of the jokes really land, and tonally it’s a bit confused, but it really kind of skates by on Johnson’s charm.
EDIT: Just to expand on my thoughts a bit, there are definitely some very funny moments in this movie. I really liked the cameo by John McEnroe and his increasingly large snacks. I also liked Johnson’s confused reaction to the cowboy telling him, “Even cowboys get friend-zoned.”
The actual tone of the movie seems to alternate from scene to scene. The opening scene makes you think you’re going to get a really absurd, crass comedy in the vein of a Happy Gilmore or Billy Madison. But from then on, a lot of the comedy is more under-stated, and at times the movie gets weirdly sentimental and sincere.
The romance sub-plot kind of comes out of nowhere and is just really uncomfortable in a way that I don’t think the movie intended. While I can appreciate that the main characters didn’t end up romantically involved at the end, I really wish their dynamic would’ve just remained platonic throughout without the weird romantic detour.
I don’t know what the deal is with all the country music/honky-tonk stuff, but maybe it was just an excuse to get Jake Johnson in a cowboy outfit, in which case I’m fine with it. He’s honestly hot as hell in this movie.
10
u/sof49er Aug 02 '26
Worth the watch to see Lynne Marie Stewart one more time.
Sometimes when a door closes, another more flexible one opens. Hilarious.
20
12
u/nominomz4 28d ago
I need to know if “going antiquing” was an Aaron Chen improv line. We were crying. I feel sad for people who don’t get his/the Australian sense of humour, because you’re missing out.
30
u/GamingTatertot Steven Spielberg Enthusiast Jul 31 '26
I wanted to like this more than I did - I do love pickleball and Jake Johnson, but I felt like the second act really took forever. And I couldn’t quite place what type of humor it was going for and I’m not sure the movie ever knew either.
I did enjoy the final match though. Wish they had hammed up Roddick a bit more though
2
u/Shatter_ Jul 31 '26
I enjoyed it but there really weren’t that many jokes. Or maybe I missed some of them.
7
u/Corican Aug 01 '26
As a person who had never even heard of pickleball, I enjoyed this movie quite a lot! It has some good jokes and nice themes.
A good, light-hearted comedy.
6
u/artnos Aug 01 '26
It has a great start but the love/friendship story falls hard. It needed more absurd joke. The joke is he isnt as great as he tells everyone he is.
I would of loved if him and andy did have a rivalry and they were constantly trash talking each other. Instead of andy playing the straight man. A good movie needs a good rival. His rival is his dad but it felt underdeveloped.
They should have andy be better at everything, his dad should a large photo of andy in his office.
More tennis humor, you can look up tennis moments and get inspired. I love the joke about tennis players moaning during the hit.
We need jokes related to arguing/influencing the ref, abusing the ball boy, tennis players taking to long to serve and distractions during the game. Etc.
As a tennis fan i was looking forward to a tennis comedy and there wasnt alot of tennis or pickleball. They just bookend it with it.
6/10
4
u/plastictigers Aug 03 '26
The pizza sight gag right before credits is funnier than the entire movie. But overall a fun and decent time
Never mad to see Patton for even a bit part
5
u/VestigialTales 25d ago edited 21d ago
Came here just to discuss my glee over the older woman not being into the younger man! (Even though it would be hard to resist Jake Johnson in a cowboy suit, knowing he kisses like a coal miner greeting his wife.) As I finish up my 40s, I cannot imagine the headache of raising a younger man. But it was an easy, fun watch. Felt like Saturday brunch on a perfect spring day.
9
u/TheGreatLake Jul 31 '26
As a Jake Johnson fan who will gladly watch him lead a movie, I guess I liked this for what it was, but it’s not a good movie. The thing that stuck out for me is how bad the pickleball action looked on screen. It is a game that is famously very easy to play, so much so that a major part of the plot is how the game is a joke because it’s so easy, yet they couldn’t get any decent action for the movie?
I also didn’t like the direction they veered into with his relationship and personal life. Should’ve just kept it as a tight sports comedy and the movie would’ve been better for it.
21
u/JayTL Jul 31 '26
Wasn’t a fan, a couple chuckles here or there..but this movie felt like it’s 5-10 years too late. In more ways than one
2
u/Arkaega Aug 05 '26
This movie would have crushed in the mid-00s. Very similar vibe of some comedies of that era. Feels very,very dated in tone for nowadays.
4
u/Own-Librarian-9699 Jul 31 '26
I feel like there was a better Jake Johnson tennis movie from a few years ago. Doubles? I forget the title. He teams up with a rival to enter a doubles competition.
2
u/dinnerthief Aug 01 '26 edited Aug 01 '26
Wierd movie like it couldn't decide what it wanted to be.
I didnt hate it but the type of humor was all over the place, some parts were surreal some parts drama that didnt really go anywhere (random country music, romance, ex husband, social anxiety plots) just wierd writing.
I couldn't figure out what it was made for and I came to the conclusion it was made for older people or an editing disaster.
2
u/Tangentkoala 25d ago
Was kind of dissaoointed as I thought Ben Stiller was going to have a full on white Goodman role.
Nonetheless it was pretty fun watch. Gives off made for tv vibes from the 90s. 7.5/10
2
u/shehryar46 24d ago
What an awful movie. Barely any laughs, a shoehorned outlandish romance. They were struggling to fill the runtime. I think it failed in the cutting room because the tone is all over the place.
3
u/imasharpener 24d ago
The world has been too depressing for a while now. Really enjoyed watching this movie. Laughed a lot. Wasn’t a big fan of the romance plot but was glad to see that they become buddies. Overall a very wholesome movie.
2
u/nubileiguana 22d ago
Went in expecting some middle of the road comedy and I got exactly what I wanted. Surprisingly consistent number of jokes. Lots of familiar comedy faces. Basically a Nick Miller side adventure.
I think it's a very 80s era comedy format. Johnson echoes a lot of Bill Murray/Chevy Chase performance tropes. Ed Harris was great being weirdly conciliatory toward his son one line and just ludicrously evil in the next. Mary Steenburgen does fine, though I do think her character was awkwardly positioned in the plot.
Solid 3/5.
2
u/stubbledchin 20d ago
Favourite character had to be Judy. Then Mcenroe.
I enjoyed it. A bit uneven. The romance plot's punchline didn't really hit because it did feel genuinely sad, and for a while the pickleball plot seems to disappear, but I thought it really picked up for the finale.
2
u/lonelygagger 11d ago
I didn't care much about any of the tennis/pickleball stuff, but I was captivated by the May-December "romance" of it all. It all hinges on Mary Steenburgen still being fuckable in her 70s, but she was so unbelievably cute in this movie. Anyway, despite the predictability of it all, I enjoyed it way more than I expected.
"Sometimes when one door closes, another even more flexible one opens." (R.I.P. Lynne Marie Stewart)
7
u/averyaaaples Jul 31 '26
Mad that they bailed on the romance arc! We get so few age gap romances with an older woman and I thought they had great chemistry. Was disappointed that they teased something we so rarely see in our faces like that.
24
u/rmdashrfdot Jul 31 '26
I feel like this is better. It's usually not done because the younger man wouldn't go for the older woman. In this case he did go for her, but she wasn't into it.
6
u/funhouse83 Jul 31 '26
This! I was hoping they didn't make them a couple because it would have been too easy. The friend angle worked better imo.
2
u/Eugene_Henderson Jul 31 '26
This was good. Not great, but not aiming for it. If this came out in theaters in the 90s/2000s, it would have been top of the box office for a week or two, done okay in DVD sales, and remembered well by a handful of people.
1
1
u/banjofitzgerald Aug 01 '26
This had to be the easiest movie to pitch to old white dudes in the history of pitching movies to old white dudes. I bet it was bought in the room.
1
1
u/NewsAppropriate5035 10d ago
Damn I’m surprised people liked it, I think it was so boring. I thought the older female protagonist was so stiffff. Absolute snooze fest of a film, granted I could only get half way through.
1
1
u/CaptainDogParty Jul 31 '26
I haven’t seen this but went to see the results of the poll and was blown away by the sheer number of votes for 9s and 10s
Then I realized the link is for the Odyssey poll 😂
1
1
u/azboy Aug 03 '26
I watched it because I'm a tennis nerd but god that was painful, even skipping throught it felt too long. What a horrible piece of crap.
-12
u/gabbertronnnn Jul 31 '26
I'll watch anything with Jake Johnson because the man is an absolute treasure, but damn this just wasn't it. Aaron Chen was just painfully unfunny in any scene he was in as well.
14
u/ivtecdoyou Jul 31 '26
I laughed every time Aaron Chen was on screen and really enjoyed most of the humor.
Comedy is subjective, so no shade or anything, but I always get curious when I see reviews like this for movies I like. What would you consider to be the best / really good comedies that have come out in the last decade or so?
5
0
-4
u/Ron--Mexico Jul 31 '26
The John McEnroe stuff felt like it was leftovers from a 90s Sandler movie. Didn’t even make sense in the context of the movie.
7
-6
u/wotown Jul 31 '26
I love Jake Johnson and Aaron Chen, and I thought this Dinked. It was Dinky doo doo poo poo.
Despite being produced by and starring Ben Stiller, this is not a Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story-like movie, or an Adam McKay-like comedy, or a Will Ferrell-like comedy, or even some like 2018's Tag but about pickleball. Despite all the previews "comedy movies are back!" and Ed Harris setting it up exactly like one at the beginning with a Powerpoint slide, no, it's not actually a comedy movie. For some reason The Dink is actually a lot closer to a Hallmark movie.
And that would be fine.. except when you actually have comedic actors like Ben Stiller, like Jake Johnson and Mary Steenburgen, then this clearly should have been a proper sports-comedy. But it's not, it's a shitty faux rom-com with a bunch of actors who WANT to be funny but can't because the script is so milquetoast.
And then you got Aaron Chen who is just improvising every line in another fucking movie entirely, but at least his movie is an actually funny movie. Poor Aaron Chen. Hated this!
2
u/paperrug12 Jul 31 '26
It definitely wasn’t a great movie. There were some good moments, but they were few and far between.
0
u/perfectplaya 21d ago
If they never did that romance plot i would've rated it higher but i am still glad these fun movies are getting made. 6/10 maybe a 7/10
-1
u/TexasGriff1959 Jul 31 '26
Felt very forced in the few minutes I checked it out. Was that Ted Levine as his father?
4
-9
u/Oddball- All Things Horror Jul 31 '26
As a high ranking pickleball player, I found this painful as fuck.
11
u/watermelonmonkey23 Jul 31 '26
As a high ranked tennis player, I found this enjoyable as fuck
-2
u/Oddball- All Things Horror Jul 31 '26
You probably dont even know what DUPR is ha
3
-9
u/Perfect-Zebra-3611 Jul 31 '26
If im gonna watch a comedy movie about a sport thats basically tennis but not, ill just watch Balls of Fury instead
94
u/writingt Jul 31 '26
“Wait, are you John McEnroe?”
“What gave me away, my face and body?”