The Wasteland Reviewer

The Only Living Pickpocket in New York (2026) Written Review

What is one of the oldest stories in all of film? An aging man who is struggling to navigate a world that has left him behind. Noah Segan has plenty of experience working with Rian Johnson and now gets his biggest spotlight so far in his directorial career with The Only Living Pickpocket in New York. John Turturro’s Harry is an aging pickpocket who struggles in a more modern world where people don’t carry cash and technology has drastically changed stealing phones and watches. Harry is trying to take care of his disabled and comatose wife and keep his small life together, but when he picks the wrong pocket, he has one day to fix the damage this one mark has opened.

How does Segan make this story come to life on screen with his direction? One of the most important aspects of this film is that it is a retro-style crime thriller that brings 1970s cinema back to life (in many fashions). The visuals of the film have a gorgeous texture to them as cinematographer Sam Levy recaptures that old school film style. The way the camera movements and is blocked feels so intentional and accentuates all the visual storytelling of the piece. There is a richness of experience that Segan and Levy craft together that makes this film feel like a time capsule. Another essential piece to that equation is the score by composer Gary Lionelli. Jazz is the heart and soul of the film’s atmosphere with a score that is so rich and poignant. Segan’s film feels like one of the coolest things to debut on the silver screen in a long time. The editing is a real highlight as each cut feels so intentional while editor Hilda Rasula threads in shots for storytelling purposes without drawing too much attention in a Soderbergh type of way (which elevates the storytelling instead of bogging it down with expositional dialogue). There are other strong technical elements including the inspired costumes. The clothes each character wears feel so intentional and specifically reflective of the era they come from. Segan balances a film with genuine weight and emotion that still finds ways to make you laugh along the way. Sharp and biting, the tone of the film feels so authentic to its aggressive New York sensibilities. The pacing of the film is pitch perfect as well with the sub-90-minute runtime being one of the nice highlights of the experience.

Does Segan’s screenplay match his sharp and stylistic direction? First off, Segan is playing around in a familiar sandbox as many films have explored this idea of an aging man navigating a now foreign world combined with the race-against-the-clock type of thriller. But the unique and hyper-specific nature of the narrative allows Segan to find a fresh identity for The Only Living Pickpocket in New York. This lean script is so efficient and does plenty of world-building and character work so effortlessly. From the opening sequence, perfectly written and visualized montage shows the art and effects of pickpocketing while highlighting the frustrations of picking in a more cashless society along with GPS-infused technology in everything. The film explores the evolving nature of pickpocketing in a compelling way while painting a tapestry about the community that one needs to keep this type of life going. Harry’s dangerous life catches up with him while he confronts his failures as a father, attempts to pass his knowledge on to a young pickpocket, and navigates a terrible medical situation for his wife. The narrative is episodic but impactful because the world and characters are so well realized. Harry is such a compelling protagonist through all his complexities and flaws. This is a man who is great at what he does but is struggling and becoming desperate since his work is evolving beyond him. You see his passion for dancing and music along with a wide breadth of quirks and traits that give him a deep human experience. His compulsive picking is something that gives him such a fascinating and destructive twist. This is a tragic story, but such a wonderful ensemble of supporting characters keeps Harry (and the audience) going.

How do Turturro and the rest of the cast illuminate Segan’s story? Turturro delivers one of the best performances of his storied career and truly deserves the awards recognition for it. Segan and Rasula put Turturro’s reactions at the forefront of so many scenes which Turturro excels at with his facial reactions and body language. His presence is so powerful as well with Turturro carrying himself in such a compelling way. His quick wit is not surprising but the disarming emotion that he shows in this role (including a poignant scene with his daughter) is striking. The rest of the cast is quite effective as well with their support of Turturro. Will Price is the young antagonist who attempts to make Harry pay for his action. Price takes a character who could have been cartoonish and gives him surprising intelligence, resourcefulness, and menace (but can still show that he is just a frustrating spoiled child). Giancarlo Esposito brings his presence and authenticity to the cop who is Harry’s friend/enemy. Their bond as two aging men being left behind feels too resonant in the hands of Turturro and Esposito. Steve Buscemi as Harry pawn broker pal feels so genuine and effective (and seeing these Coen alumni sharing the screen together was a nice feeling). Tatiana Maslany and Jamie Lee Curtis show up briefly and nail their roles as they share the screen with Turturro. Shout out to Kelvin Han Yee who steals both scenes he is in as the gruff and snarky “businessman” that Harry must negotiate with.

Does Segan have a nice gem in his hands with The Only Living Pickpocket in New York? He certainly does. Playing with some familiar narrative element gives Segan the space to dedicate his efforts to craft a crime thriller that will teleport you back into perfect time for filmmaking. The character work and world-building are both exceptional, the cast doing their all to solidify that fact. This just might be THE role of Turturro’s lifetime and could finally find some Oscar attention. This is a lean little film that does so much through the fully realized vision of Segan.