I am absolutely smitten with writer and director Noah Segan‘s crime drama “The Only Living Pickpocket in New York.” This straightforward crime story about an aging pickpocket is beautifully understated with so much more going on beneath the surface. It’s expertly paced, well directed, and features one of John Turturro’s most affecting big screen performances.
Turturro plays Harry Lehman, an aging old school pickpocket who works the New York subway system, lives by a strict code, and still takes pride in being good at his craft. He steals cash, avoids violence, works alone, and doesn’t even own a smartphone. He sells his wares to his longtime pawnbroker friend Ben (Steve Buscemi) and takes time to banter with police detective Warren (Giancarlo Esposito), two men who he’s known for years. And after a long day of lifting wallets and iPads, Harry he goes home to his Bronx apartment and takes care of his ailing wife, Rosie (Karina Arroyave). There’s something deeply sympathetic about him despite the fact that he makes his living stealing from people.
Harry’s problems begin when he steals from the wrong guy, the obnoxious son of a well-connected crime family (Will Price). This small time, routine job becomes a race across the city as Harry tries to get himself out of a situation that could turn deadly. The story itself isn’t exactly unfamiliar, but Segan gives it enough personality and detail to make it feel fresh.
Turturro is terrific as Harry, bringing a quiet warmth and dignity to a character who makes his living stealing from strangers. He’s flawed, but there’s something immediately human and sympathetic about him. (I found it impossible not to root for him). Turturro gives Harry this great combination of cunning, quiet dignity, weariness, and effortless cool. The film never pretends Harry is some noble criminal, but Segan writes the character in a way that makes the audience understand him. Harry has a moral code, even if that code exists inside a criminal life. He sees pickpocketing almost like a chess game, a matter of timing, misdirection, and skill. There’s pride in doing the job well.
That old school mentality becomes one of the movie’s most interesting ideas. Harry belongs to a disappearing world. He understands cash, physical objects, public transportation, and face-to-face relationships. The modern criminal world is different, with a high tech focus on credit cards, USB sticks, cyber scams, identity theft, and violence that can feel anonymous and detached. Harry can still make a living from stealing, but the new terms and conditions are making it increasingly difficult to keep up.
That’s where the more reflective parts of the story kick into gear. Set in the grimy, crowded, and tactile version of New York City, the film really captures the scruffy side of the Big Apple. It’s the perfect companion setting for where Harry’s life has been and where it’s headed. Beneath the crime story, this is a film about aging, pride, personal dignity, and what happens when the skills that once gave you a place in the world suddenly stop being useful. Harry is trying to hold onto some sense of who he is while everything around him changes, and the movie never loses sight of him as a person.
“The Only Living Pickpocket in New York” is a gritty, funny, surprisingly tender little crime movie that’s anchored by a fantastic performance from Turturro. If you like character-driven crime stories and old school New York movies, this one is well worth seeking out.
By: Louisa Moore
