Acapulco (2021) s04e03 Episode Script

1
[Máximo] Easy, easy, easy. Easy!
Paloma! S-Slow down.
I'm not even going fast.
[Máximo] Who taught you how to drive?
Well, not my dad.
So maybe he should show some support.
[Máximo] I'm so proud of you.
- [tires squealing]
- [Máximo exclaims]
[tires screeching]
Look, I'm sorry
for interrupting the audition.
It's just that
there's a situation with Gustavo.
First of all, he is very thankful
that you hired him to paint a mural
for the reopening.
Of course.
Painting something that embodies
the spirit of Las Colinas
seems right up his alley.
Yes! Yes.
It's just that he has this process
that I normally stay out of as his wife.
But as his boss, I was hoping you could…
put a foot up his ass.
[chuckles] Paloma,
whatever he painted is fine.
I'm an art collector.
- Mm-hmm.
- I approach things with…
with an open mind.
Um… [clears throat]
Maybe he is, um, posing a question
to the viewer to look within?
Dad, there's nothing there.
What? [stammers] S-s-s…
I'm so… [stammers]
- H-he didn't…
- Nope.
But… [sighs] How is this possible?
- He's been out here for weeks!
- Mm-hmm.
A-and we're only four days away
from the opening.
Yep.
- [sighs]
- [Gustavo] I'm sorry!
I'm blocked!
[Máximo sighs]
This is normally where I get my best
ideas, but I'm getting nothing here.
He calls it cocooning.
- Nada!
- Dios mío.
Maybe you could inspire him
with one of your stories?
Oh, Palomita. Of course!
Eh, it was the winter…
Without me.
Oh. [sighs]
Okay.
[sighs]
- [Gustavo grunting, panting]
- [Máximo] Um, you wanna…
emerge from your chrysalis so we can talk?
[Gustavo] Oh. Yeah, sure.
It just takes me a second to de-cocoon.
Uh-huh.
[Gustavo grunting]
[Gustavo] Uh, m-maybe if you flip me?
[Gustavo grunting]
[Máximo exhales sharply]
How did you even get into this thing?
[Gustavo grunting, panting]
[Máximo sighs]
- Gustavo.
- [grunts]
Come on. [grunts] Listen, Gustavo.
Things might seem tough now,
but you'd be surprised
at what you're capable of
- when your back is against the wall.
- Okay.
[Older Máximo] Just like mine was in 1986.
I could barely sleep
after I led the walkout from Las Colinas.
How could I? We were going on strike.
[in Spanish]
What are you doing up so early?
[groans] Doña Rosita was singing hymns
in her sleep.
Which is creepier than it sounds.
So I started filling out
my college applications.
- Is that your sign for the strike?
- Mm-hmm.
You need to wrap your handle in tape
or it'll chafe your hand.
How do you know that?
Common sense.
Plus, I single-handedly
led the charge at my school
to get Fanta put in the vending machines.
- I'm basically a revolutionary.
- Adorable.
But this is not some silly soda campaign.
This is life.
So stick to your applications.
What school is this one for?
No no no! The paper will get wrinkled.
[Older Máximo, in English] Sara was
mainly applying to local colleges.
But Aida had picked up
an NYU application for her
while she was on her college tour
in the States.
But she just couldn't allow herself
to dream that big.
[Doña Rosita singing in Spanish]
[Older Máximo] Meanwhile,
because of the strike,
Alejandro Vera was working
with a skeleton crew.
[clears throat] Scabs.
- So he had to take on extra duties…
- [guest whistles]
- …that were way below his pay grade.
- [Alejandro sighs]
- [guest grunts]
- [exclaims]
[sighs] Ha.
- [glass shatters]
- [guest 2] Hey!
[exclaims]
[Alejandro] Your drink, Miss.
Thank you.
Diane?
It is yo.
Are you all right?
You look like you've seen a ghost.
Ooh, was it the one in room 237?
No. [stammers] I-I'm just surprised
to see you. [chuckles]
Well, I recently had a financial windfall
after selling my prized hotel
to a chicken with his head cut off.
So, I figured I'd cash in
on a long overdue vacation.
Okay. We both know you're up to something.
- But to show you I'm the bigger person…
- [chuckles]
…uh, while you're here,
doing whatever it is you're doing,
I will provide a five-star service
with a smile.
Oh, wonderful.
I'll have the Caesar salad
with exactly nine croutons.
- Yeah.
- That's one, two, three, four, five,
six, seven, eight, nine.
Gracias. [clicks tongue]
- Yeah. [inhales deeply]
- [chuckles]
[Older Máximo] The staff had started
to assemble on the picket line
with one additional soldier
I hadn't expected.
Hey, you! What are you doing out here?
I'm closing my boutique
until the strike is over. In solidarity.
And I already made up my mind,
so don't try to change it.
Julia, did you give Diane my note?
Yes, I did.
I gave it to her
before she went to the beach this morning.
- [exhales sharply] Ay.
- She also said she misses you very much.
And she mentioned something
about your musk on her pillow,
but I tuned out after that.
[grunts] My queen moves back
into Las Colinas
the moment we go on a strike,
and I can't cross the picket lines
to see her. [exclaims]
It's like the gods of love
are conspiring against us.
[gasps] How did she look, by the way?
Were her lips doing that thing?
I'm gonna go with a yes?
- Come on, let's go.
- [chuckles]
Hello, everyone.
Thank you for being here today.
I'm so excited to be your leader,
and determined to guide you to victory!
- [staff cheering]
- [Héctor speaking Spanish]
[in English] Yes?
Where is the bathroom?
Good question! I hadn't thought of that.
Uh, since we can't technically
go into the hotel,
I think the nearest one
is at the gas station.
Maybe, uh, one kilometer away.
[staff murmuring]
Uh, what's the situation on shade?
[staff gasping]
Oh, God. Um… Uh, yeah.
Uh… [stammers]
We are a little exposed out here.
[chuckles] Uh,
maybe tomorrow we wear sunscreen.
You look like that Swiss boy from Kids
Klub we had to send to the hospital.
[Máximo] Okay. [chuckles]
I guess we should get started.
[stammers] Maxi, which way should we walk?
Uh… [sighs] Another question.
Uh… [stammers]
Uh, I'm gonna go with to the right.
Okay. To the right. [mutters]
No, uh, my right.
[chattering]
Uh, your right.
[stammers] Just get in circles!
In circles.
You know what? Uh,
actually, an oval! Oval.
[Older Máximo] While we were beginning
our long journey to worker rights,
Nora and Esteban were on their own quest
to find the truth about what happened
to our neighbor, Juan.
[in Spanish] Why would someone write this?
[I'm going to kill you]
[Esteban] Isn't it obvious?
The killer was toying with Juan.
He's a psycho.
Like Freddy Krueger.
Or people who try to buy bus tickets
on the bus. [gasps]
Oh no, this is getting dangerous.
We have to go to the police.
No way!
They'll think that we're suspects.
Our fingerprints
are all over his apartment.
The kitchen. His bathroom. Eh?
I used his cologne.
The man has taste.
Oh no, had taste.
[gasps] Ay, pobre.
[gasps]
- Wait…
- Hmm?
I've seen this typing before!
Hold on!
Look look look!
When they were doing
construction in the neighborhood
they put this notice on all the doors.
[gasps]
This means that the killer
must be someone on Arenal Street!
We need to figure out who wrote this!
[knocking on door]
Ay. I'll get it.
Good morning.
I'm raising money
for an important charity.
If you sign here and pledge your amount
your donation will help blind orphans.
Of course! That's genius!
You want to help blind orphans?
No, I don't care about that.
Look, the answer we've been
looking for is right in front of us.
- Are you sure?
- Uh-huh.
- But how, Esteban? He's blind.
- ?Qué?
No no no. We can start a petition
to gather signatures
and then compare people's handwriting
to the note!
- Oh yes! Very good idea.
- Mm-hmm.
[child] I'm not blind.
- Did you want to donate or not?
- [Nora inhales sharply]
Oh yes, of course.
Give him something.
[speaks Spanish, chuckles]
[Nora] You're checking mine?
Sorry. Had to be sure.
Thank you, honey.
[in English] Good for Esteban.
The killer is always the person
you least suspect.
Uh, what are you doing?
I draw rough sketches before I paint.
So, I'm using everything you say
as inspiration for our mural.
Wow.
This is an eerily detailed crime scene.
A-are those ants on the ground?
Teeth.
Teeth?
You know, like human teeth.
- Great.
- [Gustavo] Mm-hmm.
Now we know what not to do.
Back on the picket line,
things were slowly deteriorating
like the skin on my hands.
- [staff clamoring]
- [horn honking]
Guys, keep in line and watch out for cars.
We want them to honk for us, not at us.
When the nurse called, w-what did she say?
Any special instructions
for our first sonogram?
All she said was to not smoke
the day before
and be ready to cry, which I will.
We're gonna see our baby
for the first time.
- Our adorable little lump!
- [chuckles]
I just want to remember
how exciting this moment is
when I'm eight months in
and can't even walk.
[chuckles] Which reminds me,
I should probably get my exercise in now
while I can.
- Okay? Okay.
- Yeah.
Be… Be safe, please.
[chuckles] You guys are so cute.
And as your big sister,
I have to say I am very inspired
by the both of you.
- Oh. Thank you, Dulce.
- [both chuckle]
But why?
I mean, you know, with the strike?
If I were you, I would be
in full-on panic mode because, I mean,
there's no telling how long
we'll be out here
and you need to start
buying baby clothes now.
We already bought some clothes
and if we need more,
we'll just get some hand-me-downs.
What about formula? Diapers? Wipes?
You can't hand those down.
Anyway, I need to go plant
some booby traps I made for Vera.
- Good luck though! [cheers]
- Uh-huh.
[Beto, in Spanish]
You're charging for water?
This is an outrage.
Taking advantage of a dying man.
Beto's right, Lupe.
You can't profit off of striking workers.
My friends "Supply" and "Demand" disagree.
Agua! Cigarros! Bubbaloos!
Paco.
Are you okay?
I just came from the bathroom.
It's so far away.
Oh, no…
I have to go again.
[Older Máximo, in English]
Things on the strike line were starting
to spiral out of control.
I needed to boost morale, fast.
[Máximo] Hey, Chad!
[staff chanting in Spanish]
I know you've been working on some
chants for the line. Have anything yet?
Absolutely.
Hey, hey! Ho, ho!
Alejandro Vera's got to leave
the premises immediately.
Um, um. Maybe something simpler?
Like a call and response?
Oh. Got it, yeah.
What do we want?
[staff exclaiming, chattering]
My woman!
What do we want?
I don't know what we want!
And now everyone is
looking at me for answers!
Also, look at my hands!
I'll never clap again!
[sighs]
- I knew you'd come crawling back.
- [sighs]
Let's get started?
[groans]
Come here.
What are we doing in our
dead neighbor's apartment?
It's our "war room."
Ah! [laughs]
What's a war room?
It's an abandoned space
where revolutionaries discuss
strategy and drink coffee
and…
I don't know!
It's in the movies!
[chuckles]
Why don't we just start with your
list of demands for Alejandro Vera?
[sighs]
You have drafted a list, right?
[chuckles]
I've definitely thought of a
collection of words in my mind.
[groans]
You have so much to learn…
In order to accomplish your goal
you'll need to do a few things.
[rock music playing]
[singing Billy Idol's "Rebel Yell"
in Spanish]
[Sara] First… Be sure to fuel up.
Wear proper attire.
[singing continues]
[Sara] Send a clear message…
[staff] We will not stop!
United we will overcome!
[in English] Louder! Louder!
[in Spanish]
Do you want to sign the petition
for a new speed bump on the street?
Yes. Finally, some justice.
[Esteban] And a photo? For our records.
Smile!
- [shutter clicks]
- [singing continues]
[Sara] Project confidence…
Here's a list of our demands.
[Sara] in the face of indifference.
I'll get back to you.
[in Spanish] Don't you think the cars
go too fast on our street?
Wouldn't you like it if they -
[Sara] Always keep track of your progress.
And whatever you do,
don't forget to celebrate your wins…
[singing continues]
[music ends]
[in English]
Never saw this when I was the owner.
- I can tell you that.
- Here you go.
- Oh, thank you so much.
- Sure. [pants]
I hope it wasn't
too complicated of an order.
[Alejandro] Oh, not at all.
Turns out it's very easy to infuse tequila
with the embers of palo santo.
[both chuckle]
Well, not to be a fuss,
but other guests need your attention too.
Cabana four's still
waiting on their drinks
and I don't think Phyllis here
ever got her fries. Did you, Phyllis?
[Phyllis] Still waiting.
Also, Kids Klub is feeling
a bit Lord of the Flies.
- Over here!
- Hey, give me that!
- Give the ball!
- Hey! Over here!
[groans]
Johnny Escoops, a little help!
[child] Help, help!
[Alejandro clears throat]
- [child] Hello?
- [sighs]
[Older Máximo] Eh, don't worry.
The kid got out, after a while.
[Diane] Listen, you and I both know
you can't do this forever.
Eventually, the hotel will go down
and take you with it.
Unless there was someone
to take it off your hands.
Even if I sold it back to you, Diane,
the workers would still be on strike.
- Hmm.
- Not for long.
They love me and I love them.
So, sell it back to me
and the strike stops immediately.
You can walk away and never think
about Las Colinas, or me, again.
[Older Máximo] Vera hated that
he was considering her offer,
but the idea of leaving his mess behind
was very tempting.
[sighs] Do you want this, Phyllis?
We will fight all your attacks.
Wanna cut our pay? Grody to the max!
Yeah.
"My dearest, Diane.
Though I am separated
from your love across enemy lines,
I trudge on, powered only
by the memory of your bosom.
Your heaving bosom."
[in Spanish]
Why are we drinking this? It's nighttime.
I don't know. It was here,
and felt right.
Pues.
[in English] Hey, folks!
I know it's been a long week,
but you should all be proud
because the line is holding strong!
Yeah! It will be even stronger
once I'm done with this.
[stammers] Can someone please
take that away from Dulce?
There's no need for violence of any kind
when the tides are turning.
Speaking of, at the advice
of my revolutionary in training,
we have contacted Red Nacional Siete,
who will be sending a reporter
to the picket line tomorrow.
This is really going
to put the pressure on Vera.
So it's only a matter of time
before he caves.
- [staff cheering]
- Vamos!
Sorry. Excuse me. Question.
Wait, wait, wait.
Are we talking, like,
two days matter of time,
or, like, "my baby will be forced
to drink agua de horchata
because his father won't be able
to afford formula" matter of time?
Memo, I know
you're worried about baby stuff.
Of course I'm worried about baby stuff.
And can you blame me?
Look, I get it. But I have to do
what is best for everyone,
which means sticking to our demands.
We want our benefits back.
- Yeah!
- [speaks Spanish]
[Máximo] Along with lunch, overtime.
We aren't just cogs in a wheel.
We're human beings who deserve respect.
[staff cheering, chattering]
[Older Máximo] I had been on the outs
with the staff for so long,
it was nice to be back
in everyone's good graces.
It felt like they believed in me again.
And, no, I don't remember
if they actually lifted me in the air,
but I'm gonna go with it.
The next day on the picket line,
I carried that feeling with me.
[staff chanting in Spanish]
Fuera Vera! Fuera Vera!
[Sara]
Remember: stick to your talking points.
But don't look like a robot.
People want authenticity, strength.
Like when my school offered us Tang
instead of Fanta? [scoffs]
I laughed in their faces.
Strength. Got it.
Then again, isn't compromise
the ultimate show of strength?
Says who?
Says me!
I like Tang. And so do the brave
men and women of NASA!
[reporter] Tres, dos, uno.
Good afternoon. I'm Minerva Luz Cruz,
reporting live from Las Colinas,
where employees have gone on strike.
With me now is the Head of Operations,
Máximo Gallardo.
Señor Gallardo, how have the
workers been holding up?
We're blessed.
The sun might be hot.
But so are the flames inside us
that yearn for change.
[staff cheering]
Well said, but you're up against
a formidable machine.
Do you really have the resolve
to see this through?
Oh, we have the resolve.
Because we have each other!
- Vamos! Vamos!
- Te amo!
And we won't be pushed around by
an owner who has no regard for his staff.
- [cheers, speaks Spanish]
- [Héctor] Yeah!
Máximo!
Oh no of course you need -
This is Sr. Vera's response
to your list of demands.
He thinks it should meet
most of your requests.
[Older Máximo, in English]
It was the moment we'd been waiting for,
and with all eyes on me,
I knew there was only one way
to respond to his response.
[in Spanish] Most of our requests?
- I don't think so.
- [staff gasps]
[in English] Whoo! Way to go, Máxi!
- [in Spanish] What a badass!
- [chuckles]
[in English] You were like Zapata
leading the charge
- against the government fascists.
- [chuckles]
Check it out.
Uh… [sighs] Well, l-listen.
[stutters] You're a great artist. Uh…
- Thank you.
- I-I mean,
you got me dead wrong in this picture.
I look nothing like this.
- Really?
- Yeah.
- Not even when you were younger?
- Especially when I was younger. Yeah.
- But…
- Okay.
Before you go all in
on this idea for the mural,
you should know that my colleagues
had a less enthusiastic reaction that day.
[in Spanish] What was that?
I stuck it to the man. Right?
[stammers] Maybe?
You could have at least
looked at Vera's response.
That's exactly what he wanted me to do…
Take the first thing he offered.
That's why he waited until
the cameras were rolling.
- He was using them to pressure me.
- [Memo] Máximo.
You keep saying "me, me, me".
But it's not about "you!"
I know that things are getting stressful.
But we are so close
to getting everything we want.
So we have to stick together.
You really think this is the best
way to get Vera to cave?
I know it is.
We've got him in the palm of our hands.
By tomorrow,
he'll come crawling back to us.
[chanting] Out with Vera!
[Older Máximo, in English]
I couldn't have been more wrong.
Because the next day, Vera called my bluff
and hired workers to replace us.
Ixtapa's best.
And when I say replace us,
I mean, literally.
This was a second-rate Héctor,
Beto,
Memo.
And even…
[Lupe, in Spanish] Oh, no.
Is she me?
[in English]
Any other great ideas, Máximo?
[Older Máximo] Memo didn't even
have time to process his anger,
since it was time for Lorena's sonogram.
[in Spanish] Now remember, at this point,
your baby is the size of a lime.
Okay. [chuckles]
[machine whirring]
Is that…
our son's head?
[nurse] Or daughter.
We won't know the sex
until your next appointment.
[Lorena] I don't care what we have.
I just love our limoncito.
- [breathes shakily]
- [chuckles]
Our baby would be so proud of us.
I mean, we came in here
off the picket line.
Fighting for our rights.
It's so dramatic.
Yeah, but…
We can't even afford the things
we're going to need for them.
That doesn't matter.
Instead of a crib,
the baby can sleep with us in the bed.
We can get more hand-me-downs.
And who needs a car seat?
That's what the dashboard is for.
I never thought about it that way.
Yeah. It's just a flat surface in a car
just begging to be used…
No no no no…
I mean…
I never imagined that by striking
we could make our baby proud.
Of course.
We're not just out there
marching for today.
We're marching for the future.
Their future.
[Lorena sniffles, chuckles]
[Lorena inhales sharply]
[cries]
[birds chirping]
We've collected every signature
on the block…
Except one.
Yeah, but what are the odds Sr. Cabrera
would turn out to be a monster?
Oh. He is a monster.
When I lived at my old apartment
I always heard him yelling
at the neighbors.
About their trash.
About their loud music.
And he fought with this one guy
all the time.
Something…
Sensación?
You mean Juan?
Our dead neighbor?
[Doña Rosita] Yes. Him.
They argued every day over a parking spot.
One time, Señor Cabrera
left a surprise on Juan's car.
If you know what I mean.
He fought with Juan
and refused to sign our petition?
He's our suspect!
Esteban, Señor Cabrera is old.
Would he really have the strength
to whack Juan over the…
The posada!
[people clamoring]
[Nora gasps]
It was poop.
I can't believe Vera replaced us.
Like we're nothing.
I'm really sorry.
I was trying to help,
and led you down the wrong path.
No, Sara. This was my fault.
Memo was right.
I was making the strike about myself
instead of considering everyone else.
I guess there was just a part of me
that enjoyed being loved again
by the staff.
So what are we going to do?
The only thing we can.
Ask Vera if his counter still stands.
He bussed in workers from out of town,
which must have cost a lot of money.
Maybe we can appeal to his senses.
Even if we have to give up
some of what we want.
[Memo] We will never give up.
[Máximo] Memo.
What are you doing here?
We have sacrificed our blood,
sweat and tears.
So we can't back down.
Not now, not ever.
Because…
the future of little limones
depends on it.
Wow.
You said that better than I ever could.
Which is why you've got to come with me…
[in English] Oh. I'm glad you're here.
We'll be doing the talking.
I mean, if you're ready? [chuckles]
Whatever. I'm ready. So here it goes.
I would normally give you a big speech
with lots of fancy words.
But instead, I'm gonna shut up.
And let Memo tell you about
the kind of people we are at Las Colinas.
Señor Vera, here,
we lift each other up when we're down.
We stick to what we believe in.
We work until we can't.
And then we work some more.
No matter how tired or beaten down we are,
we always bring joy to what we do.
So you can hire whoever you want
to work in this hotel.
Just know they will never be us.
And you will be reminded
of that every day,
when you see us out there
on the picket lines.
Uh, do you want me to say it again?
Oh, no, no, no. Please, I already lost
years of my life listening to that.
Oh, hmm.
Well, you will get your demands.
All of them.
Oh, wow. [chuckles] Really?
Can you throw in a 10% raise on top?
- Don't push it.
- We won't.
I'm gonna go tell everyone. [chuckles]
- We won! [laughs]
- [staff cheering, clamoring]
Not that I'm not extremely happy, but…
what just happened?
This.
For the first time in ten years,
Las Colinas got knocked off the top spot
on Leisure Magazine's
"Best Hotels in Acapulco."
That's why I need you and your team back,
because you know this place
better than I do.
And, turns out that Ixtapa's best
happens to be Las Colinas' worst.
They are rude. They are late.
And they broke into my good tequila. Mmm?
This was a gift from Gene Wilder.
I can't believe this.
Alma Del Mar is number one?
Oh! Sorry, don't mind me.
- Just doing some light reading.
- [both chuckle]
Ah. You must have seen the list.
Well, it's hard not to
when it's in big, bold, print.
Alejandro. My offer still stands.
Diane. No matter how bad it gets,
even if we are the last hotel
in the world on that list,
I promise you, I will never
sell this place back to you.
Mi amor. The clouds have lifted.
We can be together again.
[Older Máximo] Though Diane was realizing
that her dreams of owning the hotel
were officially over…
WE DID IT! THANK YOU!
…Sara was beginning to realize that
her dreams were more possible than ever.
[sighs]
Because fighting for people
wasn't just something she was good at.
It was a passion, a flame.
And it needed to be fanned.
- Órale. That was a really good ending.
- Ah!
Nobody wants a pilot
who can't land the plane.
[Máximo chuckles]
What?
I think I know
what I'm gonna paint for our mural!
[Máximo grunts]
I just hope it makes you proud.
Is that what this is about, Gustavo?
Listen, I-I only gave you this job
because I trust you.
I mean, you… you married my daughter
in secret, but you make her happy.
And you were there for her
all of those years that I wasn't.
So, you don't need to impress me.
You've already done that. In spades.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
You're gonna love what I'm gonna do.
It's gonna be amazing.
- You're gonna love it, Máximo.
- Hey, hey…
Gustavo!
You're not going to tell me what it is?
Gustavo! Gustavo!