WARNING: The following contains spoilers for The Mosquito Coast Season 1, Episode 5, "Elvis, Jesus, Coca-Cola" which aired Friday on Apple TV+.
After fleeing from Chuy's former employer last week, the Foxes find themself in Mexico City. While it seems like they may be on the right path, the opening of Season 1, Episode 5, "Elvis, Jesus, Coca-Cola," proves they are not far from danger. The following article breaks down the latest episode of The Mosquito Coast, with plenty of spoilers ahead.
As the episode kicks off, audiences are introduced to a mysterious stranger who cooly confronts a man, Jorge, cleaning up a club. While he seems collected, the stranger nonchalantly slices Jorge's throat, cradling him in his arms as he tells him to let go. Presumably, he will come face to face with the Foxes, proving that Allie is far from being right about everything looking up, especially since the stranger is revealed to be working for Chuy's former boss.
Meanwhile once in the city, Margot finds a hotel where they can stay for the night, and Allie assures his family that from here on out things will be great. He's excited for Dina to meet his friend, who got into trouble with the USA for destroying GMO crops. Even though they've been on the run, they allegedly will be able to help the Foxes out, giving them a new home that is better than paradise.
Despite Allie being confident about his contacts, he and Margot leave the kids in the hotel the following day to work out the last minute details. Allie needs Margot to steal some money, while he goes after their contact, Calaca; however, Margot wants to do this together, but he needs her to go on her own because he could die, and the kids need someone there for them.
With the parents out for the day, it's on the kids to figure out food. After guilting Charlie about how he hasn't lived a life, Dina sends him out to find breakfast. This also gives her a chance to research what her father is wanted for, using a computer in the hotel to discover an article connecting her parents to an alleged kidnapping. However, this article is trap set by the feds, and clicking on it allows them to watch Dina from the webcam and trace her location.
While Dina deals with this, Margot and Allie break through with Calaca, but he acts like he doesn't know Allie. Eventually he gives, and tells them they have 15 minutes to meet at his location, which angers Allie. He believes Calaca is toying with them, but Margot says they need to do as he says because they have no other option, and she has no faith in Allie at the moment.
Along with this issue, the mystery man from the opening has flyers going around town with the family's faces on them, hoping to get a lead on the Foxes, which he does. Plus, Charlie has befriended a group of European backpackers. They drink together, and he refuses to leave with Dina. Instead, they move into the backpackers' room and smoke, where one of the traveler proceeds to talk down on Americans while Charlie reveals what happened in the desert.
The backpackers don't take him seriously, and Dina calls them out for being so pretentious. Charlie follows her out, but when he overhears the backpackers insult them both, he pulls his gun on them, proving that he and his sister were right; although, he does not pull the trigger.
As they deal with this, the parents reach the coordinates sent to them, so Calaca calls them on a payphone, calling Allie out for leaving him high and dry when he decided to try to make it work in America for him and his family. Despite the tension, he gives Allie a chance to win over his help, sending him to another location to find a phone in the sewers.
After toying with him a bit more, Calaca warns Margot and Allie they have a tail and that it'd be best to forget about them. Stubborn as ever, Allie persists, and Calaca gives them one more chance, but they have to be at the next location in 10 minutes, lose the tail and do whatever he says. With no other options, they rush through a market while being followed by the strange man. While they ditch their tail briefly, Calaca's men jump Allie and Margot, binding them and tossing them in the van.
Unfortunately the kids are not faring well either. Despite having a brief moment of fun in town, a child approaches them and tries to direct them to his family's shop. While they turn down his offer, he signals several other kids to follow them, presumably on behalf of the mystery man. With him and the feds narrowing in on the kid and the parents apprehended, the Fox family is in hot water.
Starring Justin Theroux, Melissa George, Logan Polish and Gabriel Bateman, The Mosquito Coast airs Fridays on Apple TV+.