The new Apple TV+ film "The Dink" is being hailed as potentially the greatest pickleball comedy ever made, blending humor with the sport's burgeoning popularity. Directed by Josh Greenbaum and written by Sean Clements, the film stars Jake Johnson as Dusty, a former tennis prodigy whose career was cut short by injury. Dusty now works as a coach at a country club run by his stern father, Chuck, played by Ed Harris.
The central conflict arises when the club's members push for more pickleball courts, much to Chuck's dismay. He views pickleball, a sport played with a plastic ball and described as a lighter version of tennis, as a threat to traditional tennis. The film posits that pickleball's rapid growth in the United States, with an estimated 36 million players, is a source of contention for tennis purists.
Dusty finds himself thrust into a high-stakes match, a scenario reminiscent of the 1973 "Battle of the Sexes," to settle the dispute over court allocation. Comedic elements are introduced through an "incident involving a killer owl" and Dusty's own recurrent wrist injuries, which doctors surprisingly recommend pickleball to rehabilitate. The film also features cameos from tennis figures John McEnroe and Andy Roddick, and includes Aaron Chen as Dusty's sidekick PJ and Mary Steenburgen as his much older pickleball partner, Candace.
Critics have noted the film's "engagingly daft" and "laugh-out-loud funny" moments, drawing comparisons to the 1986 comedy "The Best of Times." "The Dink" is available on Apple TV+.
In other film news, "Animal Farm: A Cautionary Tail," an animated adaptation of George Orwell's classic, has received a critical reception described as "disastrously twee and bland," with particular criticism aimed at its animation and a "wincingly happy ending." The film, directed by Andy Serkis and featuring a voice cast including Seth Rogen and Glenn Close, is noted for its deviation from the source material's allegorical intent. Meanwhile, "Pinocchio: Unstrung," a slasher film in the "Twisted Childhood Universe," offers a gruesome take on the classic tale, and "Chickenhare And The Secret Of The Groundhog," an animated adventure, is noted as a family-friendly option.