Opening in theaters on October 16 is ‘The Only Living Pickpocket in New York,’ written and directed by Noah Segan. It stars John Turturro, Giancarlo Esposito, Tatiana Maslany, Will Price, Victoria Moroles, and Steve Buscemi.
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Initial Thoughts
Is any actor more New York than John Turturro? Maybe Robert De Niro, but Turturro has a more expansive vibe – De Niro is mainly the Lower East Side and Little Italy, while Turturro is anywhere, especially Brooklyn and Queens. Which makes him the perfect star for ‘The Only Living Pickpocket in New York,’ an intimate character study of a quintessential NYC character, as well as a crime drama and a love letter to the Big Apple itself.
Even though the movie is set in the present, director and writer Noah Segan captures the feel of a ‘70s film effortlessly, and evokes a vanishing view of the city and its inhabitants that’s both wistful and gritty. Economical and brisk (it runs less than 90 minutes), ‘The Only Living Pickpocket in New York’ is a smart, poignant indie gem.
Story and Direction
Harry Lehman (John Turturro) is a professional New York City pickpocket who’s been at it for decades. His buddy Ben (Steve Buscemi) runs a pawn shop where Harry sells off his hauls. He’s friends with a cop (Giancarlo Esposito) who looks the other way in exchange for information from the street. He’s so confident and experienced in his profession that he even gives tips to a newbie he spies doing the same thing on the subway.
But times are changing, and credit cards and smartphones are no replacement for wallets stuffed with cash or expensive watches. It’s getting harder out there in the digital world for people like Harry, whose only goal is to provide a decent life for himself and his disabled wife Rosie (Karina Arroyave). Then one night, Harry breaks into the wrong car and snatches the wrong gym bag, lifting a USB stick containing valuable financial information that belongs to Dylan (Will Price), the snotty, violent scion of a crime family that will do whatever it takes to get his property back – and has Harry in his crosshairs.
Taking what may be in some ways the outlines of a familiar crime tale, Noah Segan invests his film with grace, humor, emotion, and deep characterization, not to mention an expert sense of place and time. New York City is easily a fully fledged character in the film, as Harry’s journey to retrieve the USB stick (which he pawns off to a different buyer on Ben’s advice, only to desperately need it back) takes him to all five boroughs of the Big Apple – even forgotten, dismal Staten Island (I grew up there, so I can say that), where an unexpected reunion leads to a wrenching emotional moment with poignant implications.
Segan really captures the texture and feel of the city, in a way that reflects the rough-hewn nature of great ‘70s NYC films like ‘Mean Streets’ and ‘The French Connection.’ ‘The Only Living Pickpocket’ doesn’t get quite as dark as those films, but it does also carry a deep sadness that is etched on Harry’s face, particularly in the latter stages of the film as he realizes his options are narrowing and the life he has led, in the city he lives and breathes, might be changing permanently.
Cast and Performances
This is John Turturro’s show through and through, and he dominates it as the sad, wistful, fast-talking, occasionally tough, and loving Harry. A man out of time, you can’t help but root for him to get out of his predicament, even if he steals for a living. He’s street-smart, but it’s the streets themselves that are changing, and Turturro brilliantly shows us all sides of this character, the range of emotions playing on his face showing us so much of Harry’s history without saying anything.
Our leading man benefits from an exceptionally strong supporting cast as well. Steve Buscemi is perfect as Harry’s old friend and fence Ben, who’s funny, brave, and loyal to a fault. Like Turturro, Buscemi has the city in his blood and it comes through here. Also excellent are Giancarlo Esposito as Warren, the careworn but still compassionate cop who’s had enough of the job, and Tatiana Maslany as Kelly, Harry’s aggrieved daughter who shares one deeply affecting exchange with him. Rounding out the main cast is Will Price, aggressively obnoxious as Dylan, an entitled, bratty, rich-kid punk who would probably be thrown out of the old Mafia for his lack of respect.
Final Thoughts
‘The Only Living Pickpocket in New York’ doesn’t reinvent the wheel in any sense, and it semi-stumbles toward the end, with a surprise guest star who frankly seems a bit miscast as the boss of the crime family whom Harry finally meets. Their exchange serves as the heart of the film but the confrontation seems less naturalistic than what has come before.
Even with that wobble, ‘The Only Living Pickpocket in New York’ maintains its elegiac tone, its quirky doses of humor, and its detailed exploration of a quintessential yet aging street hustler with style and finesse. And while you wouldn’t want Harry Lehman to run into you on the subway or street, his humanity and the pulsing vitality of the complicated city he calls home are the lifeblood of this earnest, elegant little film.
‘The Only Living Pickpocket in New York’ receives a score of 85 out of 100.
What is the plot of ‘The Only Living Pickpocket in New York’?
An old-school hustler and pickpocket, Harry is a classic native New Yorker who moves through life relying on his wits and connections. But times are changing for Harry, and one unfortunate night, when a theft goes awry, he must go on a mission through New York to reclaim the stolen goods.
Who is in the cast of ‘The Only Living Pickpocket in New York’?
- John Turturro as Harry Lehman
- Giancarlo Esposito as Detective Allan Warren
- Steve Buscemi as Ben
- Will Price as Dylan Diamond
- Tatiana Maslany as Kelly
- Victoria Moroles as Eve
- Lori Tan Chinn as Gena
- Kelvin Han Yee as Frank
- Karina Arroyave as Rosie
- John Gallagher Jr. as the Businessman
List of John Turturro Movies and TV Shows:
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