"Juan Tamad at Mr. Shooli: Mongolian Barbecue" is a 1991 movie that pokes fun on the political and social maladies which continue to plague the Philippines up to this day.
It is now 2025 and yet the movie still outlines a skewed interpretation of democracy - a government of the people, POOR the people, and BUY the people. This interpretation still resonates in the society.
Guns, goons and gold are still the devices used by the crooked politicians to perpetuate themselves in power. In every election cycle, this kind of politicians is repeatedly elected by the people - perhaps out of fear and the lack of initiative to elevate standards.
You will laugh at the manner the movie depicts red tape, corruption and government inefficiency. You will lament that these problems still hinder the path to progress all Filipinos aspire for.
The open-ended ending means that the story is still unfinished. It could led to the thinking that generations of new characters are experiencing and will experience the same chapter of the said maladies. There is still no happy ending in sight to the flawed chapter.
