Move over Ryan Gosling.
Is it possible to somehow love Hollywood’s favorite patriot even more than we already do? Yes, yes it is. The proof is in the news that Nick Offerman will sing in his next feature, Hearts Beat Loud. It’s Offerman’s first leading movie role, and boy am I excited. He’ll play a father who enters into a songwriting partnership with his daughter, played by Kiersey Clemons, during the summer before her first year of college.
Since Offerman’s breakout role as Ron Swanson in Parks and Recreation, he’s stolen scenes in a slew of small indie comedies like the fantastic Kings of Summer and worked with some of the most acclaimed directors in the business, including Terrence Malick on Knight of Cups.
If you’re thinking, “Eh, I don’t know if I’m down for a singing Ron Swanson,” then here are two things. One, I feel sorry for you, as your heart must be so shut off to pure joy that you don’t know it when it’s presented to you. And two, Offerman has proven his musical ability over and over again. He’s going to be great.
The actor has given us instant classics like the “My Tales of Whiskey” song and “Pu**y and Weed,” which he performed on Conan, in addition to the songs he wrote and performed for his Netflix special, American Ham. He typically accompanies himself on the guitar, but he’s not limited to the ole’ six-string. He performed his song “The Ukulele Song” on a Ukulele that he built. That he built!
And let’s not forget his spellbinding turn as Ron Swanson’s saxophone-wielding alter ego Duke Silver. Personally, I wish this movie would just be the first in a franchise of Duke Silver films — prequels to Parks and Rec where we see the roguish Silver navigate his way through seedy jazz clubs, negotiating with shady club owners, and breaking hearts left and right. At the end of the six-movie saga he settles in Pawnee as Ron Swanson. But I digress.
Indie film composer Keegan DeWitt and musician Jeremy Bullock will compose original music for the film, and I’m really excited to see how Offerman will interpret the Wild Cub bandmates’ work. The film’s title actually comes from a DeWitt track from 2009. It is unclear if the titular song will be one of the compositions included in the film or if it’s only the inspiration for the title. Either way, I’m going to venture a guess that the indie feel of the song will be reflected in the film. Overall, the project sounds to be more in the vein of Once rather than La La Land, with director Brett Haley’s tone being more understated than flashy.
https://vimeo.com/13182970
But really, any movie in which I can see and hear Offerman play music seems destined to be a good one. It’ll be fun seeing a performer who primarily plays comedic songs take on a different genre, and judging from literally everything he has done leading up to this film, he’s more than capable of giving a stellar performance.
In the immortal words of Ron Swanson: 
And that is exactly what I expect Nick Offerman to do.
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