The Only Living Pickpocket in New York, 2026.
Written and Directed by Noah Segan.
Starring John Turturro, Giancarlo Esposito, Will Price, Tatiana Maslany, Victoria Moroles, Steve Buscemi, Jamie Lee Curtis, Karina Arroyave, and Jack Mulhern.
SYNOPSIS:
When a theft goes awry, a veteran pickpocket is sent on a mission through New York to reclaim it.
In writer/director Noah Segan’s The Only Living Pickpocket in New York, money can buy away most problems, provide a timely distraction, or bribe away almost anything. Career thief Harry (John Turturro) is also fairly generous with his cash, with a good portion of it coming from pawning off pickpocketed items (he has mastered the art and even gives detailed advice to an aspiring kleptomaniac), pulling out a wad of bills whenever a situation arises to thank, persuade, bribe, and more.
The one thing Harry’s money can’t solve or fix is his catatonic wife, Rosie (Karina Arroyave), whom he makes time for, dances for, and turns on classical music to hopefully soothe. One also can’t help but wonder if part of that generosity is a coping mechanism. As such, one of the most moving elements of John Turturro’s tremendously soulful, human performance is the demonstration of that unwavering love for a partner who can no longer move or speak. He treats her as if nothing has changed, which is challenging to pull off convincingly for any actor.
That’s not to say Harry isn’t still up to his old ways, but when he isn’t stealing or looking after Rosie, he provides information to a friendly detective played by Giancarlo Esposito, with whom he has developed a kinship. Asking a neighbor to leave the door open and regularly check in on her if the medical machinery is beeping, he strolls about the nighttime Bronx and elsewhere around New York City, essentially robbing anyone who appears to have too much materialism. Often hitting up a pawnshop owned by longtime friend Ben (Steve Buscemi) to sell whatever possible treasures he steals (most of the watches, for example, are actually not real gold, but rather expensive, scam junk not worth reselling), the film also establishes a network of such shops and the chain of where discarded or unworthy objects end up.
That increasingly becomes a larger part of the film as Harry steals from the wrong yuppie, a punchable youngster (Will Price) heavily connected to organized crime and prepared to stoop to any despicable lengths to retrieve a looted USB drive that functions as a digital safe. Surrounded by goons inside Rosie’s bedroom, Harry is ordered to traverse all over the city to discover where the USB drive ended up, all while reflecting on poor choices tied to criminality made in his life, how it destroyed his family and connection to his daughter (a glorified cameo by Tatiana Maslany, although nonetheless a scene-sealer), and how it continues to derail what little time he has left with Rosie. Admittedly, some of that family drama feels superfluous, as if it is a way to extend the premise beyond running from location to location and interacting with oddball characters who may have information or refuse assistance.
Nevertheless, the ending ties it all together seamlessly and emotionally, while also elaborating on the thematic divide between old-school crime and the new age surrounded by technology. Going back to Harry’s sensitivity and enduring charm, which strengthens his ability to win over bystanders and others, it also paints a tender, communal togetherness. Given that the villains here are almost heartless and wealthy, it also hints at a class divide. One might see Harry as an antihero of sorts before getting a handle on how awful the robbed can be, even when they find out he is nursing a sick partner.
Whether or not comeuppance comes, or how this plays out, is also one of the film’s stronger aspects (hanging around Rian Johnson so much will do that for a filmmaker), meaning some suspense is maintained even during repetitive or superfluous moments. The Only Living Pickpocket in New York is John Turturro’s movie, though, and no one can steal that from him. He delivers an incredible turn that elevates everything around him, including the weaker and less developed elements.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder
