Although Yates has not done a stellar job with the past HP movies he has directed, this movie was superb. If you are a hardcore potter fan, he only changes enough to make it a cohesive story, and it is a great representation of the book. For simple movie goers, if you have seen the past HP movies, you will totally understand the story, and love it. Personally, I cried three times. I laughed several times. It was truley one of the best films of the year.