It picks up where The Force Awakens ended with Rylo dealing with killing his father, Rey meeting Luke, and Leia with Finn and Poe fighting against the First Order.
This movie is humorous without being too funny, intense without being nerdy, and perfectly timed. The First Order is always one step ahead of The Resistance who's two steps ahead of the First Order. An amazing game of cat and mouse.
As far as acting for some reason Adam Driver got sexy. Daisy felt like she was acting for an Oscar (compliment), and Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, and Domhnall Gleeson stepped up their game. Oscar Isaac and Laura Dern were a great balance of hothead and levelhead. The whole feeling of this movie didn't feel like a regular Star Wars movie. It felt like a movie people WANTED to be in as opposed to a movie to make money. I can't rave about the script, acting, special effects, and directing enough.
This movie was sooooooo good myself and my non-Star Wars friend want to see it again.
No spoilers but the audience clapped three times in this movie...I dunno why though. Clapping is for live theater not for a movie where the actors aren't here. Whatever. Amazing movie and highly recommend.