The Only Living Pickpocket in New York: Review

With the deceptively simple story of an old-fashioned thief who steals from the wrong guy, The Only Living Pickpocket in New York delivers a feat of restrained, tender filmmaking.

The wallet turns out to be empty, and it’s not the first time this happens to Harry, an expert, old-fashioned pickpocket whose street smarts are becoming obsolete in the era of cashless payments and mobile phone tracking. And despite the nature of his profession, Harry is one of the good guys – a man of principle who approaches tasks with respect and who still believes there’s dignity to be found in one’s existence.

And as he strolls through the streets of New York with ease, keenly observing the world and planning his next move during the day only to return home to care for his disabled wife Rosie (Karina Arroyave) in the evening, we can’t help but be captivated by how much he belongs to the city. It does help that his uniform of choice – an expensive Ermenegildo Zegna overcoat that we can tell he’s owned for a long time – is much classier than what you’d expect the average pickpocket to wear. But then again, Harry isn’t your average pickpocket.

Sadly, people like Harry are fading away to a New York that’s evolving, and that now belongs to a younger generation: undereducated, tech-savvy, entitled brats with wealthy families who think they own the world – and maybe they do. Soon, Harry comes face to face with one of them, the aptly named Dylan Diamond (Will Price, of After the Hunt), a Gen Zer who makes his entrance in a New Jersey-plated classic car that couldn’t clash more with his flashy outfit and unbothered attitude.

The car is no challenge for Harry, who swiftly unlocks it to steal Dylan’s gym bag, but it’s when he examines its contents – a gun, a whole lot of cash, and what he’d think was a USB drive if only he knew what they were – that he realizes he might have messed with the wrong Zoomer. Harry quickly gets rid of the bag with the gun, keeping the cash and asking a friend, pawn shop owner Ben (Steve Buscemi, of The Big Lebowski), for help disposing of the USB drive. Still, with a little help from technology, it takes Dylan and his friends no time to find Harry, and when it becomes evident that the former is connected with organized crime, our hero is doomed.

Just like that, Harry is given a few hours to find the USB drive – which, it turns out, is actually a currency locker that unlocks millions of dollars – and return it to Dylan. Harry’s own destiny has been decided, but it’s Rosie’s life that’s on the line, which gives our skilled pickpocket quite the incentive. But how should he spend those few hours, knowing that they will be his last?

That’s left for you to discover, but you’ll be surprised by how much you’ll enjoy watching it all unfold. The performances are part of the reason, as every single actor in this exceptionally well-cast ensemble shines, delivering memorable turns regardless of their screen time. John Turturro is superb in a role he was born to play, but Will Price‘s Dylan proves a worthy ‘nemesis’ to Harry; both inhabit their characters so effortlessly that even the most absurd situation becomes not only believable, but also gripping, tense, heartwarming, and everything in between. There’s a scene of Turturro dancing in front of his wife that will break your heart, and it’s moment like these that make The Only Living Pickpocket in New York the gem that it is.

Every single performance is essential to this tale, from Steve Buscemi as Ben and Giancarlo Esposito as police detective Warren (Giancarlo Esposito), whom Harry has known for a lifetime, to many more actors whose roles will be left unspoiled in this review. Tatiana Maslany feels particularly well-cast here, absolutely nailing her one very impactful scene, and Lori Tan Chinn and Michael Hsu Rosen form the perfect duo in one of the most fun sequences of the movie. A more in-depth backstory to Harry’s wife Rosie would have made their relationship stronger, but Karina Arroyave still manages to deliver the right emotions with facial expressions alone.

But it’s Segan’s storytelling flair that truly elevates the film, with a screenplay that encompasses many genres and shows impressive control of tone and emotion. The Only Living Pickpocket in New York combines the thrills of a heist movie – even the score accompanying our hero is reminiscent of Ocean’s Eleven – with the heart of an intimate drama that’s really a farewell to an era. The movie is fun and engaging, with a well-timed script that reveals pieces of the puzzle at the exact right time to keep you entertained, and clever twists that will make you admire our hero even more. But it’s also an introspective, nostalgic story about legacy and family – not just the one you’re born into, but the one you find along the way – that will sneak in on you when you least expect, unlocking some very familiar feelings despite its very specific setting.

It’s not by chance that, right after making an unexpected stop, Harry runs into a young pickpocket (Mark Cayne) on the subway, and decides to share some of his tricks with him. “You might work alone, but you don’t have to be alone here,” he tells him, and we understand just how much this ‘job’ matters to him, and even makes him who he is. Harry’s identity was shaped by the community around him, from fellow pickpockets to various acquaintances and even a police detective.

It’s a family of sorts that functions according to its own rules, and there’s comfort and even tenderness to be found in the remnants of a time and place that may feel like it’s slipping away but hasn’t completely gone yet, thanks to the people who still belong to it. With the perfect premise, flawless performances, and a well-balanced, genre-defying script, Noah Segan’s sophomore feature is a feat of restrained, raw filmmaking that will surprise you in all the best ways.

The Only Living Pickpocket in New York premiered at the Berlin Film Festival on February , 2026. Read our Berlin Film Festival reviews and our list of 20 films to watch at the 2026 Berlin Film Festival!