Honestly, movie trailers usually lie to you. They take the three funniest jokes, slap some upbeat bass music over a montage, and hope you don't notice the actual film is a slog. But when the Going in Style trailer dropped back in late 2016, it felt different because it wasn't trying to sell a revolutionary concept. It was selling chemistry. Pure, unadulterated charisma from three guys who have more Oscars between them than most small countries have gold reserves.
You’ve got Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and Alan Arkin. That’s the pitch.
If you watch that first teaser again, you’ll notice how quickly it sets the stakes. These aren't just "grumpy old men" doing slapstick. They are retired steelworkers whose pensions got wiped out by corporate restructuring. It’s a heist movie, sure, but it’s rooted in that very real, very frustrating feeling of being discarded by a system you spent forty years building. That groundedness is why the trailer resonated so well with audiences who were still feeling the aftershocks of the late-2000s financial crisis.
What the Going in Style Trailer Got Right About Casting
Most trailers try to hide the plot or over-explain it. This one? It just lets the actors talk. Director Zach Braff—yeah, the guy from Scrubs—realized that you don't need fancy editing when you have Alan Arkin’s deadpan delivery.
There’s a specific beat in the trailer where they’re "practicing" their getaway in a grocery store. It’s ridiculous. They’re using an electric mobility scooter. But because it's Caine and Freeman, it feels earned. The trailer emphasizes that this isn't Ocean's Eleven. These guys are amateurs. They’re desperate. They are, quite literally, "going in style" because they have nothing left to lose.
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The Music and the Vibe
Music choices can make or break a teaser. They used " Talkin' Out the Side of Your Mouth" by It's Privacy, and later, some classic soul vibes. It signaled to the audience that this wasn't going to be a depressing drama about poverty. It was going to be a caper. A fun one.
People often forget that this was a remake of a 1979 film starring George Burns. The original was much darker, much more somber. The Going in Style trailer for the 2017 version had to pivot away from that legacy to convince modern audiences to buy a ticket. It succeeded by focusing on the "Robin Hood" aspect of the heist. They aren't stealing from people; they're stealing back their own money from the bank that's foreclosing on them. It’s wish fulfillment for anyone who has ever looked at a bank statement and sighed.
Why We Keep Re-watching Old Movie Trailers
It’s about comfort.
In a world of multiverses and CGI explosions, there is something deeply soothing about watching three legends sit in a diner complaining about the price of a slice of pie. The trailer promises a specific type of mid-budget movie that barely exists anymore.
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I remember seeing the trailer play before some big superhero flick and the entire theater actually went quiet. Usually, people are checking their phones or whispering during the previews. But the chemistry between Freeman and Caine is magnetic. When Freeman’s character, Willie, talks about wanting to see his granddaughter, it gives the stakes a heartbeat.
- The Hook: A bank robbery witnessed by Joe (Caine).
- The Motivation: Lost pensions and predatory banking.
- The Execution: Training with a professional (played by John Ortiz) and failing miserably at first.
The editing is snappy, but it doesn't use those annoying "braam" sound effects that every action trailer uses now. It trusts the dialogue.
The Logistics of the Heist (According to the Trailer)
One of the funniest parts of the promotional cycle was seeing how they teased the actual robbery. They’re wearing masks—specifically, Rat Pack masks—which is a nice nod to old-school Vegas cool.
The trailer also introduces Matt Dillon as the FBI agent on their tail. It sets up a cat-and-mouse game that feels low-stakes enough to be funny but high-stakes enough to keep you watching. You want them to get away with it. You really want them to get away with it.
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Real-World Context: Why it Hit Hard
When this movie came out, the "silver economy" was a huge talking point in Hollywood. Studios were finally realizing that older audiences—people who actually go to theaters on a Tuesday afternoon—wanted to see themselves on screen. The Going in Style trailer was a masterclass in demographic targeting without being condescending. It didn't treat them like "old people." It treated them like protagonists.
Actionable Steps for Cinema Lovers
If you're looking to revisit this era of filmmaking or just want to understand why this specific movie worked, here is how you should dive back in:
- Watch the 1979 original first. It’s on various streaming platforms. It will give you a profound appreciation for how much the 2017 trailer brightened up the tone.
- Analyze the "Rule of Three" in the dialogue. Notice how almost every joke in the trailer has a setup, a lean-in from a second character, and a punchline from the third. It’s classic vaudeville structure hidden in a modern movie.
- Check out Zach Braff's director's commentary. He talks extensively about how he had to "direct" legends. Most of the time, he just stayed out of their way.
- Look at the supporting cast. The trailer briefly flashes Ann-Margret and Christopher Lloyd. Seeing Doc Brown (Lloyd) as a senile but lovable friend adds another layer of nostalgia that the marketing team used perfectly.
The legacy of the Going in Style trailer isn't that it changed cinema history. It’s that it reminded us that stars—actual, genuine, decades-deep stars—are the best special effect you can buy. You don't need a $200 million budget if you have a booth in a diner and three guys who know how to tell a joke. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the best way to move forward is to look at how the greats have been doing it for fifty years. If you haven't seen it in a while, go back and watch that first two-minute clip. It’s a perfect example of how to sell a "vibe" rather than just a plot.