‘The Dink’ Review: Very Funny And Irreverent

Jake Johnson’s comedic talents are on full display in Apple TV’s very funny and irreverent streaming comedy, The Dink. The former New Girl star brings his signature combination of deadpan delivery, simmering frustration, awkwardness masked by arrogance, and remarkably subtle vulnerability. Johnson has chemistry with virtually everyone he shares the screen with, grounding each interaction in an inherent sincerity.

You can place Johnson in virtually any comedy, including The Dink, and his familiar persona becomes adaptable to the setting. Here, the film examines the rise, and perhaps the not-so-distant fall, of pickleball, while Johnson’s jack-of-all-trades character never appears to be trying to induce laughter, which only makes him funnier. His confused opinions, irrational schemes, and grump exasperations give his work an unmistakable comic rhythm.

Frankly, Johnson is the Walter Matthau of a new generation. Perfectly cast in Josh Greenbaum’s (Will & Harper) latest comedy, he brings his trademark combination of rumpled charm and deadpan sincerity. The film is packed with great cameos and universal themes that stir a wide range of emotions: joy, embarrassment, frustration, disappointment, and unexpected tenderness, while always leaving you entertained.

The film follows Dusty (Jurassic World’s Jake Johnson), an aging tennis pro who works at the private, upscale club owned by his former tennis legend Chuck Boyd (Oscar winner Ed Harris). Dusty remains trapped in the past after a bizarre accident ended his career. To recap, it happens while chasing Andy Roddick into a bathroom during a match break; he slips on wet concrete and destroys his knee.

Dusty tells this story often, usually whenever he introduces himself to someone looking for a tennis lesson. His best friend and wingman, PJ (Fisk’s Aaron Chen), enthusiastically supports each exaggerated detail. PJ provides the validation Dusty never received from his father—or from the millions of fans he imagined he would have had. He then meets a student, Candice (Elf’s Mary Steenburgen), who calls him out for his unique brand of nonsense.

This all culminates in a showdown for the ages. A fight against progress. A stand against what the people really want. Dusty has to hear out Skip (Patton Oswalt), who is requesting two pickleball courts in the club. Per the charter, he can only grant the proposal if someone from Skip’s side beats one of Chuck’s pros in a tennis match. This is something Dusty sees as an opportunity to make meaning of his life and win his father’s respect.

Sean Clements, who cut his teeth on comedy series such as Parks and Recreation and Workaholics, wrote The Dink. The film’s winning formula pairs Johnson with Steenburgen in an unusual buddy-comedy dynamic, with both characters bringing their own brand of emotional stuntness. Johnson is especially good in these scenes, conveying disdain for others, contempt for his own life.

While the movie doesn’t go as far as it should in this regard, the script tends to make every relationship, including his one with Candice, deeply uncomfortable. This makes the comedy very funny and irreverent, poking fun at society standards and others’ obsession with pro sports. Then there are cameos, like the one with Ben Stiller, that violate all sorts of boundaries and HIPAA laws and bring the funny around every corner.

Even when The Dink is not laugh-out-loud funny, it remains amusing, striking a winning balance between the absurd and the heartwarming. At 90 minutes, it is a brisk watch, even if the familiar plot does not exactly break new ground. Still, the clever decision to have John McEnroe provide consistently amusing exposition reveals the film’s unexpected comedic layers. This comedy may not reinvent the sports comedy, but it serves up enough charm and cleverness to keep the audience entertained.

You can stream The Dink exclusively on Apple TV starting July 24th!