Acapulco season 2 episode 9 recap & review: The Power of Love

In episode 9 of Acapulco, Maximo wrestles with his new life outside Las Colinas as everyone around also figures out what they want in life. The episode is now streaming on Apple TV+.

Recap

As Maximo and Hugo leave Memo’s house, Memo tells his friend that should definitely meet “her” but Maximo just isn’t sure about it. Hugo wants to know who he’s talking about but he just says that she is the love of his life.

He goes back to telling his story and how he was getting used to working at Isabel’s family restaurant and trying to forget his past. Julia tells Sara that she and Chad broke up and asks her not to tell Maximo.

Roberta visits Sara and tells her that she’s moving to Oaxaca and wants Sara to come along with her. Chad tells Diane that he’s made up his mind about leaving and Diane says she’ll be just fine as she walks into a lobby in chaos.

Chad realises that even in LA, he has to depend on his mother’s help and feels sad about that. He goes to the bar and sits down, joined by Hector and Memo eventually.

Hector is miserable in his little office as head pool boy and Memo is still angry with Maximo for working with Espectacular but still misses his best friend. Lupe shows up and tells them that they need “the bird”.

Maximo explains to Hugo that back then they believed in this canary that would pick out a card that would answer any questions they had and they pay her 1000 pesos to see the bird.

Maximo is using his Las Colinas skills at the restaurant to upsell stuff and Isabel’s father notices this very clearly. Maximo wants to talk to him about some ideas he has and sets up a meeting later.

His relationship with Isabel is going alright as he slowly learns that they want different things in life. Don Pablo is struggling to get used to the retired life in Mexico City with his son and still likes to plan out his days very systematically.

Sara tells Maximo that Chad and Julia broke up and then makes sure he’s okay but doesn’t tell him that she’s leaving with Roberta. Lupe gathers Memo, Hector and Chad so that they can meet the canary but each of them gets the same generic answer to their questions.

Maximo suggests ideas of expansion to Isabel’s father but he is content with what he has and tells Maximo that the way he works does not fit with the vibe of the restaurant.

Sara and Roberta arrive at the bus stop where Esteban sees them. He tries to stop Sara but when she does not listen, he calls Nora and asks her to rush over there while he stalls the bus from leaving.

Maximo tells Isabel that he wants to build for the future but she tells them that her family is more focused on living in the present and enjoying life rather than wanting more.

Sara feels bad because she doesn’t want to leave her mother but she also doesn’t want to leave Roberta. Nora reaches just as the bus is leaving but when she turns, she sees Sara sitting with Esteban and she embraces her daughter as they apologize to each other.

Memo, Hector and Chad talk about how they got duped by Lupe but in their conversation, they figure out a solution. Memo finds out that Maximo was giving Hector half his tips as their deal that got Memo his job which proved that Maximo is the same old person.

Hector listens to Chad talking about his old life being just as unhappy and he realises that he can go back to his job as a pool boy and be happy again. Memo tells Chad that if he’s unhappy going back to where he has been, he should try going to a place he’s never been.

Diane visits Don Pablo and tells him that she needs him back and is making him a partner after discussing it with Ricardo Vera. He says he needs to think about it but his son says that he needs to go back because he loves Las Colinas.

Maximo meets Julia outside Las Colinas and he asks her if he’s the reason she and Chad broke but she says that they had other issues as well and he should give her some space.

Isabel shows up just then and she breaks up with Maximo because of their different life goals and the fact that it’s very obvious that Maximo and Julia are in love with each other.

Maximo suddenly finds himself unemployed and single but Memo rushes up to him to cheer him up and when Maximo gets back home he finds his family back together.

Nora thanks Esteban for helping her get her daughter back and asks him if he would like to marry her and he says yes.

Review

• The vibrant streets of Acapulco in the present as well as the past look splendid and magnificent in this series. Visually, this episode is very stunning to observe.
• There is a lot of character development regarding their motivations and the narrative is progressing along at a steady pace. By design, the story of Maximo in the present has been building up to whatever reveal is coming in the finale.
• The episode overall is pretty average and doesn’t really get the audience excited for the final episode in the way that most series would. It is a lot more tame and feels like it is limping towards the finish line.

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Also Read: Acapulco season 2 episode 8 recap & review: Money Changes Everything