Crazy Rich Asians, currently topping the box office, officially has the latitude to say its a hit with all sorts of audiences. The film break barriers, provides romantic escapism and includes Asian jokes that go for broke, like Two girls, one cup of noodles. Ahem. But for a lot of Asian viewers, its more than wild fun: Its also an emotional liberation.

It turns out that the movie, the first studio film that puts an Asian-American story at its center, is making people unexpectedly cry. Asian viewers are saying it provided something very specific they didnt even realize they were longing for until they saw it. The it is simply seeing Asians portrayed as human beings beyond hurtful stereotypes, in ways that make Asians feel proud to be Asian.

A Twitter search of Crazy Rich Asians crying turns up a lot Jessicas and Sophies and also a number of Peters and Justins tweeting that theyre not quite sure why, but Im not crying, youre crying.

Even those who are more than au fait with the concept of the power of representation are saying they got emotional.

Phil Yu, also known as Angry Asian Man also known as the last person you might think would tear up shared some of his emotions after watching the film.

He said he was struck by the group date scene in which lead characters Nick and Rachel, played by Henry Golding and Constance Wu, go out for satay and beers. Its a conventional rom-com group date scene, at a food stall in Singapore, where scion Nick will introduce Rachel to his initially disapproving mother and the rest of his family.

Ive cried at multiple different points over several viewings, Yu said in an email. I definitely get teary-eyed during some of the more signature emotional moments, but the weird one that stands out for me is the first time I saw it. Near the beginning of the movie, right after the hawker centre food scene, when Rachel puts her arms around Nick while theyre driving with Colin and Araminta in the jeep. This simple moment set off something in me. A feeling like, this is really happening, and these beautiful Asian people are unapologetically at the center.