Turturro Leads New Caper Film

Audiences going to see the new film The Only Living Pickpocket in New York will find a quiet tragedy rather than a high-energy action movie. The 88-minute feature centers on a professional thief whose life is coming to an end. It offers a gentle sadness similar to hearing a sad song, rather than a shattering dramatic experience.

John Turturro plays Harry Lehman, an aging criminal who works the subways and streets of New York City. He steals wallets and smartphones from pedestrians despite his own struggles with basic technology, such as operating a TV remote. His routine changes when he picks the pocket of a young man named Dylan, played by Will Price.

Dylan parks his restored 1969 Plymouth Barracuda near Harry. Harry takes the wallet and a card containing a USB stick. Harry does not know what the stick is. His fence, Ben, played by Steve Buscemi, also does not know. By the time Harry moves the card from the Bronx to Chinatown, Dylan and his associates have broken into Ben's pawnshop and beaten him.

The USB stick serves as an electronic key to a cryptocurrency account holding nearly one million dollars. Dylan tracks Harry down and gives him four hours to return the key. If he fails, Dylan will kill Harry's catatonic wife, played by Karina Arroyave. Harry moves between Manhattan, Queens, and his Bronx apartment while trying to complete the task.

Noah Segan wrote and directed the film. Segan is an actor who has appeared in nearly every movie directed by Rian Johnson. This is his first project as a filmmaker. The film focuses on the physical details of pickpocketing. Segan uses the camera to show the environment through Harry's eyes. The plot allows Harry to break into a locked storage room at a secondhand electronics shop to find the key.

Giancarlo Esposito plays an NYPD detective who serves as a friendly adversary to Harry. The film moves quickly with little wasted time. Turturro brings a shabby elegance to the role of a man who has been stealing in a changing city for a long time. His performance pairs with a melancholy jazz score composed by Gary Lionelli.

The film loses some momentum near the end. Harry visits his estranged daughter, played by Tatiana Maslany. The scene is well acted but follows a familiar pattern seen in many other movies. Harry's final encounter with Dylan's grandmother and mafia boss, played by Jamie Lee Curtis, is brief. A stronger dialogue and longer appearance would have made better use of Curtis.

A flashback reveals one last heist by Harry that allows him to accept his fate. The film serves as a showcase for Turturro's abilities. He has performed strong work since the 1990s without receiving wide recognition. The movie presents a portrait of a smart man whose time has come to an end.