'Only Living Pickpocket in New York': A portrait of a city in change
14.11.2026
Pickpockets don't have it so easy these days. Instead of cash, people often take only a credit card or their mobile phone when they go out, so there is not much to be had from wallets anymore. This is what John Turturro's character experiences in "The Only Living Pickpocket in New York".
The 69-year-old ("Severance") is a versatile character actor who rose to prominence in independent cinema in the 1980s and 1990s. He made his name in particular through his work with cult directors such as the Coen brothers ("Barton Fink", "The Big Lebowski") and and Spike Lee ("Do the Right Thing").
Noah Segan's new film also has a nostalgic charm. It is about Harry (Turturro), an ageing pickpocket who still makes his money with traditional tricks, but the digitalized world has caught up with him. Harry seems to have fallen out of time as he roams New York City.
When Harry steals from Dylan (Will Price), the wealthy heir to a mafia family, the plot picks up speed. Harry has unknowingly stolen a valuable USB stick, which he must return to Dylan within a very short time.
"The Only Living Pickpocket in New York" draws its pull above all from its great and loving shots of the metropolis. It lives on its images and its melancholy mood. Harry's search takes him through the subway and the city's various neighbourhoods, for example when he meets his friend and pawnshop owner Ben (Steve Buscemi) or investigator Allan (Giancarlo Esposito).
The film develops into a melancholic portrait of a city in transition, of ageing in a modern world and of the love of analogue things. Anyone expecting a gripping thriller may be disappointed. The story often takes a back seat to the atmosphere.
Instead, Turturro, who was himself born in New York, convincingly plays the ageing pickpocket with great sensitivity - a point that ultimately makes the film worth watching.
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