Watching HP7p1 was a great experience. Really recommendable to anybody. But it is not an easy one, however. As the (second) last part of a series, I would suggest people to watch the first 6 movies before watching this one (and the next one). The background is necessary to understand most of what's going on. Especially when they try to introduce (and sometimes reintroduce) each character, which in a story as rich as this one, is a difficult task to achieve in just 2 hrs. and 30 min.
The story is solid, and well adapted from the book. The special effects are great to see, too. But it is the chemistry made by the cast what really makes this movie memorable in a way more serious and older people-oriented movies can't achieve. That is because you know these people have been together for years and they know their roles well. For this I must mention that the plot takes a few little 'sideroads' away from the book that on which the story is based. But movies have a different pase than books do, so they used that mentioned chemistry between the characters to move the story in a definitely enjoyable way.
In conclusion, I would definitely recommend this movie to anybody. Even if you don't like the Harry Potter fantasy that much, I would still suggest people to give one chance to the saga and be part of a story that defines a generation. In other words, find out why so many kids kept reading the books for hours and hours.