Off Track (Ur spar) is a new Netflix comedy film from Sweden. The film, directed by Marten Klingberg, is about a single mother trying to figure out her life.
Warning: This article contains heavy spoilers.
Plot summary
A mother, Lisa, works tirelessly to put her back on track by contending in a Vasaloppet, a cross-country skiing competition, in order to reverse her troubled past and gain the respect of her brother and young daughter.
There is a subplot surrounding the protagonist’s brother, Daniel. Lisa gets drunk in a bar and is thrown out for her inappropriate behavior; she finds herself in lock-up. Right away, one can grasp a sense of her personality and how she may be an alcoholic.
She also has a daughter, Elvira, with her former husband, who is concerned for the child’s safety due to Lisa’s unpredictable behavior.
During the first half of ‘Off Track’, it is observed that Lisa does not have the best reputation amidst her known people. Her relationships are not of the best quality, and one could say it is because of her irresponsible behavior.
When child protective services become involved, things quickly deteriorate. Lisa seems to lose control over everything. Simultaneously, there is a storyline brewing from her brother’s side – Daniel. He is someone, who is quite the opposite of our protagonist.
On one hand, he is grinding for the Vasaloppet; on the other hand, he is trying to have a baby with his wife. Daniel is seen juggling both the priorities, and yet only has focused on just the former.
Off Track ending explained in detail:
Does Lisa win the Vasaloppet?
Lisa takes part in the 90 km skiing race, Vasaloppet. Her motive behind her participation is to act as a motivated and ‘sorted out’ role model for her daughter, as well as police officials.
She takes this opportunity to get her life back on track through rigorous training sessions with her brother. However, towards the end of the race — Lisa does not win. Not only does she come last, but she’s also celebrated for completing her race in over 12 hours.
Through the journey, from the beginning of the preparation for the competition to the very end, an evolved Lisa is born. Even though she did not win, her transformed self was the real winner.
Is Daniel going to give his marriage another chance?
There is a point in the movie, where we get to see a very frustrated Daniel. He does not seem as enthusiastic as his wife about a baby. After a big fight with his wife, Klara, Daniel finds comfort in one of the noteworthy contenders of the competition.
His interaction with this lady leaves the audience questioning whether or not Daniel will give up on his marriage. This quickly gets solved when we see Klara putting effort into the marriage to work – making Daniel realizes that there is still hope for the relationship.
Does Lisa improve as a person and a mother?
At the beginning of the ‘Off Track’, Lisa is quite deranged. She is struggling to keep her alcohol consumption in check and be a responsible mother to her daughter.
Her enthusiasm for the Vasaloppet arose from the fact that she wanted to be a role model for her daughter.
Following this, she sees glimpses of hope when she sees positive responses from around her, regarding her participation in the skiing competition.
There is a complete transformation coming from Lisa. She goes from being the person who flees any situation at minor inconvenience to being the person determined enough to complete the race.
At the end of the ‘Off Track’, Lisa redeems herself as a person and a mother. She is sober and leads a healthy lifestyle. She’s also happy with her daughter at her home, and there’s even a romance brewing with a police officer.
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