The Dink brings pickleball comedy to Apple TV+

The Dink is a sports comedy that centers on the rising popularity of pickleball. Directed by Josh Greenbaum and written by Sean Clements, the film stars Jake Johnson as Dusty Boyd, a former tennis prodigy who now teaches tennis at his father Chuck's (Ed Harris) country‑club. After a wrist injury forces him into pickleball rehab, Dusty reluctantly teams up with divorcee Candace (Mary Steenburgen) and discovers a new purpose, while clashing with his father's disdain for the sport. The movie features cameo appearances by former tennis star Andy Roddick and includes Ben Stiller as a brief cameo and producer. It explores intergenerational conflict, ego, and the search for meaning, using pickleball as a comedic backdrop. The Dink premiered on Apple TV+ on July 24, 2024, and has been noted as a light‑hearted promotion of the sport's growing cultural footprint.