Sports comedies are always somewhat popular, but they’re especially prevalent right now – and not always successfully. Will Ferrell recently released his Netflix series, The Hawk, where he plays a golfer attempting a comeback. Despite Ferrell’s comedic talent, the show hasn’t been well-received, and Apple TV’s new offering in the same vein appears to be facing similar challenges.
The show’s storyline feels familiar, echoing themes from movies like The Hawk and Owen Wilson’s Stick (a 2025 series about golf), as well as many other sports comedies. The main character, Dustin Boyd (played by Jake Johnson), is a former tennis pro struggling to find purpose after his career stalled. The show adds a layer of motivation by revealing Dustin is also trying to earn his father’s approval after a disappointing loss. Instead of returning to tennis, he decides to pursue pickleball as a way to turn things around.
Throughout the film, the main character develops an unexpected connection with Candace, played by Mary Steenburgen. However, the story quickly becomes predictable and moves at a sluggish pace, making even potentially important plot points feel uninspired. It’s particularly disappointing because the movie features a strong cast who deserved a better script – one tailored to their talents, rather than a generic template for a sports comedy.
The Dink Isn’t Egregious – It’s Just Totally Uninteresting
Josh Greenbaum’s direction and Sean Clements’ script for The Dink aren’t terrible, but they’re remarkably bland. The film is so uneventful it’s hard to even dislike it. The main character, Dustin (or “Dusty”), feels like a cliché from countless 90s sports comedies. He lacks depth, his relationships seem to revolve solely around him, and the humor often falls flat.
Perhaps the most disappointing aspect is how The Dink misuses a truly talented comedic actor who is capable of leading a film. Most viewers will recognize Johnson from his role as Nick Miller in New Girl, where he was Jess’s roommate and love interest. Those familiar with New Girl remember him being incredibly funny – he made Nick both hilarious and the show’s emotional center. Unfortunately, The Dink fails to capture that same natural humor and charisma.
Dwayne Johnson isn’t the only talented actor who struggles in The Dink. The film also features Ed Harris, Ben Stiller, Chloe Fineman, Patton Oswalt, Chris Parnell, and other well-known names. With such a strong cast, it had all the potential to be hilarious, but unfortunately, the humor feels dated and stuck in the 1990s. There’s even a shockingly insensitive joke about the Menendez brothers that made me double-check if I’d heard it right.
The film also includes a somewhat old-fashioned storyline where Johnson’s character, Dustin, develops a crush on Candace, played by Steenburgen. The movie often treats this attraction as humorous due to her age – the actors are actually about 25 years apart. It’s worth noting that if the roles were reversed and a younger man was interested in an older woman, the film likely wouldn’t portray it as silly or make light of it.
The show even emphasizes Candace’s rejection of Dustin and the fact she isn’t physically attracted to him – treating it as a joke, almost suggesting it’s strange she would be the one not interested in him because she’s older. This kind of trope feels stale for a comedy series made in 2026.
Honestly, I was really disappointed looking at the cast of The Dink. It’s incredibly lacking in diversity, despite being full of famous faces. And it’s not just a lack of representation – the few actors of color who are in named roles, like Aaron Chen, feel stuck playing these tired, one-note best friend characters. It feels so dated; those clichés really should have stayed in the ’90s.
I only really noticed The Dink when Candace and Dustin were openly displaying their (apparent) romance in front of Candace’s ex and the woman he’d left her for – it was the most development either of them showed. However, even that didn’t last, quickly followed by the realization that Candace wasn’t actually interested in Dustin. Ultimately, The Dink didn’t offer anything original, kept the tension surprisingly low, and made some questionable and even offensive decisions.
The Dink is available to stream on Apple TV from Friday, July 24.
2026-07-21 19:09