Josh Brolin, as George W. Bush, holds a press conference
Lionsgate

The questioning ends in 5 ... 4 ... 3 ...: Josh Brolin plays the president in a film with ups and downs for those of every political stripe.

It's a tense time: elections are looming, attack ads are everywhere, and many of us just want it to be over. Into this loaded environment comes Oliver Stone's W., an oddly detached look at a presidency that hasn't even ended yet.

The portrayals of not only the president, but also Dick Cheney and other prominent figures, makes it easy to break down your reaction along partisan lines — but let's put that aside. Let's reach across the aisle. Let's be a uniter, not a divider, and consider the five best and worst things about the film that have nothing to do with what party you belong to: