Off Track follows Lisa who is set to get her tumultuous life back on track by finishing a ski race, to set an example for her daughter.
The “self-discovery” genre has always been savoured greatly by an ocean of viewers in today’s day and age. Off track is a pint of such ideas blended with a dollop of light-hearted bittersweet comedy. This new Netflix comedy-drama from Sweden, directed by Marten Klingberg, stars Katia Winter in the lead role of Lisa. It also stars Fredrik Hallgren, Rakel Warmlander, and Ulf Stenberg.
The Story
Sweden in freezing winters prepares for the ‘Vasaloppet’ race. Lisa, the main character, carries the emotional baggage of a failed marriage which results in her picking up a drinking problem. Constantly in a mess, her ex-husband Cesar and his girlfriend don’t want to leave Elvira (her daughter) with Lisa.
After a careless incident in a string of events, Cesar takes Elvira away. She is homeless and unemployed and her life hits rock bottom when social services inevitably start an investigation on Lise regarding her worthiness for Elvira’s custody. Lisa seeks help from her brother Daniel, a disciplined skier who persuades Lisa to ski with him. Lisa hates skiing but just to impress Elvira, she makes a commitment to take part in the ski race.
Meanwhile, Daniel and Klara have been tackling problems in their marriage. Amidst this, Daniel develops an eccentric connection with a fitness instructor. What happens next? Does Lisa finish the race? Do Daniel and Klara break up?
Reasons To Stream
Off Track offers a series of subplots through the characters of Daniel and Klara’s marital problems and Anders’ story that makes the storyline interesting.
Lisa pushes herself through the bone-freezing cold as she is willing to finish the race for her motherly love for Elvira. These inspirational scenes can interest potential viewers as it uplifts the spirits through the character of Lisa, who is played by Katia Winter in a convincing manner.
The film “lightly” taps through several topics like motherhood, adulthood, mental health issues, and drinking addiction all through the character of Lisa. Daniel and Klara, played adequately by Fredrik Hallgren and Rakel Warmlander, also portray a withering marriage suffering from the void created by the absence of a child.
The location and cinematography of Dalarna and the ‘Vasaloppet race are picturesque and really portray the piercing winters beautifully, especially the scene where Daniel is lost in the woods. Off Track concludes with a happy ending as generally seen in such lightweight comedy-drama films.
Reasons To Skip
The plot loses its strength almost midway into the movie. The development of the events trying to tell a story fails to grip the viewer’s emotional connection to it. Thus making the storyline less impactful.
The dramatic element is not elaborated as effectively in the film as it states to be a drama film. It fails to make the characters more complex. The character development plateaus and falls flat pretty quickly into the movie. As a result, the film misses building a connection between the viewers and the secondary characters.
Off Track is featured as a comedy and a light-hearted film, yet the comedic element is sparse. Certain scenes, having a lot of potential for comedy, fail to light a humorous spark for the viewers.
The Verdict
Off Track can be a feel-good film for the viewers due to its feathery-weight essence. The lead character of Lisa, played by Katia Winter, is believable as a drunken middle-aged divorcee and has more depth than the secondary characters. The addition of the Vasaloppet race as a plot point elevates the movie a bit, making it a bearable watch. If one is to judge the movie for its comedic elements, Off Track fails to deliver on the promise as actively and consistently as one would expect.
Rating: 3/5
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