We know Nick Offerman best as a man’s man, a man of few words whose stoicism rarely betrays the emotions within. And that’s why the times when he does express an ounce of sadness or regret cut a little bit deeper. In this video for the Decemberists’ “Make You Better,” Offerman gets laughs as a fumbling German talk show host interviewing lead singer Colin Meloy. But it’s his portrayal of longing and insecurity that makes the performance memorable.
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Though he’s all moustache and bravado on the outside, Offerman’s character faces that familiar pain of unrequited love, and a nerve too weak to proclaim it. As he struggles to find the right words, the Decemberists play a song of need and regret to match the shape of his wound. The premise is funny, but the execution, a little bit heartbreaking.
“Make You Better” appears on the forthcoming album What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World, which drops on Jan. 20.
