The Only Living Pickpocket in New York is the new film from Noah Segan who is a long time collaborator of Rian Johnson. The film stars John Turturro as Harry, an aging pickpocket in the Bronx that gets into a big mess after his most recent theft. I was really looking forward to the film after its premiere at Sundance earlier this year. It received a great reception on its festival run and has now opened in some theaters nationwide.

The film really feels like those classic 70’s and 80’s crime thrillers with Turturro leading this simple but effective story. The Only Living Pickpocket in New York quickly turns the story on its head when a recent theft goes terribly wrong. I went into this film not knowing much of the story so it was bit of a surprise how dark the story quickly turned. You immediately are thrust into a much darker tone and the urgency is really felt. The second half of the film feels a bit rushed but does pack some of my favorite moments in the whole movie.

I really enjoyed seeing Turturro as an actor unravel this character scene by scene. There’s a lot to Harry that is slowly showcased so masterfully by Turturro. It’s not rushed at all, which makes the watch even more exhilarating. The city itself feels so alive as well, almost like a character in itself. I’d easily invest myself for another hour seeing Harry navigate New York City. The score really carries us through the psyche of Harry but also the ever-changing landscape of the world today.

The film has some great performances from Giancarlo Esposito, Steve Buscemi, and Tatiana Maslany as well. Although, I do feel these actors don’t really get much from the screenplay to truly shine, it was great to see them for the moments they were there. I do feel the limited run time made it feel a bit undercooked and it would have been great to see these character for a couple more scenes. I even found myself thinking how great of a show or limited series this could have been where we see a man trying to make amends with his life.

Overall, The Only Living Pickpocket in New York makes for a great watch due to its stellar lead performance from John Turturro. It’s a pretty straightforward story of a man who is just trying to do right for everyone. Turturro as always, delivers a spectacular character performance in Harry. This is a man that wants to keep things old school and navigates the world how he’s used to it. There’s a charm to seeing this play out in the first half. We do see the story take a sinister turn in its second half, however. The story never is dull and keeps you engaged throughout. Some forgettable characters appear in this second half but the film never loses the charm that is established in the first half. It’s truly a film to showcase Turturro and just the undeniable actor he is and sometimes that’s just enough from a film.