The Dink (2026)
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A failed tennis prodigy must navigate the rising popularity of pickleball while seeking his father's approval.
The story
Dustin "The Hammer" Boyd was a promising tennis talent whose career was cut short by a wrist injury during a match with a young Andy Roddick. Decades later, Dustin works as an instructor at his father Chuck's tennis club. When the club faces pressure from pickleball players to convert courts, Chuck decides to settle the dispute via a tennis tournament. Dustin wins the tournament but injures his wrist again, leading his doctor to recommend he take up pickleball. He reluctantly joins a club and teams up with Candace, a woman navigating life after a divorce, as they both learn the nuances of the sport.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
Dustin "The Hammer" Boyd was a tennis prodigy whose career ended after a wrist injury during a match with Andy Roddick. Now an instructor at his father Chuck's club, Dustin struggles with his need for his father's approval. When the club faces a dispute over converting courts for pickleball, Chuck mandates a tennis tournament to decide the winner. Dustin wins the tournament but re-injures his wrist, and his doctor advises him to play pickleball. He joins a club and begins a burgeoning friendship with Candace, a divorcee. After a period of bonding and a brief romantic misunderstanding, Dustin learns that his father chose him to represent the club in the final duel against a representative for the pickleballers. In a twist, Dustin reveals he intentionally broke his wrist years ago to avoid the shame of losing to Roddick. On the day of the duel, Dustin chooses to represent the pickleballers. His opponent is revealed to be the real Andy Roddick. Dustin wins the match using a 'dink' shot. Six months later, Dustin is the club's President of Pickleball Operations, and he and Candace compete together in a tournament.
- First release year
- 2026
- Runtime (minutes)
- 103
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Josh Greenbaum
- Writers
- Sean Clements · writer
- Cast and characters
- Jake Johnson · Dustin "The Hammer" Boyd; Mary Steenburgen; Aaron Chen; Ben Stiller; Ed Harris; Andy Roddick; John McEnroe
- Genres
- sports comedy
- Themes
- Father-son dynamics; Redemption; Identity
- Tone and mood
- Comedy; Heartwarming
- Premise and plot tags
- Sports; Comedy; Family
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics.
- Reported review scores
- Metacritic · score: 57 · scale: 100 · review count: 22
- Production trivia
- Produced by Ben Stiller and Jake Johnson.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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