2026 Sundance Film Festival Movie Review: The Only Living Pickpocket in New York

The Only Living Pickpocket in New York is a lean, slick, low-level crime film. It’s a straightforward, character-driven drama that takes us across New York City as an old-school man battles the new school.

Harry (John Turturro) is the last of a dying breed: he’s a pickpocket in New York City. He picks people’s wallets, things hanging out of their bags, phones, whatever he sees fit. He carries around a wad of cash in his beat-up peacoat, takes the bus and train, and sells these thefts to his pawnshop owner friend Ben (Steve Buscemi). He’s an old-school man who refuses to adapt to a new world.

On a seemingly standard evening, Harry clocks his next target in Dylan (Will Price), a crypto bro who rolls up to a dark parking lot in a beautiful car. Harry takes his wallet and anything of use in the car. In Dylan’s wallet is a wad of cash and a USB drive that looks like a credit card. Harry doesn’t know what the USB is, or what a USB drive is in general, and dumps it as soon as he can.

Dylan, whose family is part of some sort of crime syndicate, uses his connections to find where Harry lives. Dylan threatens Harry to get the USB drive back, or he will hurt him and his bedridden wife. This sends Harry across New York City to get the USB back and figure out what is on it.

The Only Living Pickpocket in New York is a showcase for Turturro. A native New Yorker himself, Turturro embodies everything that is Harry. He’s slick, confident in his craft, crafty, always looking for his next target, trustworthy, and always comes home to his wife. He still thinks cash is king and that giving someone a twenty will get any answer he wants. Turturro’s performance feels lived in. You can see the years in his posture and his eyes. You can see the years of pickpocketing have added to Harry’s life. You can see his pain, regret, and sadness about the decisions he’s made in the past, and you can imagine that his time as a professional pickpocket and schemer led to hardships for him and his family. There are dozens of stories you can tell about Harry’s past, and all of them would make interesting movies. You can also see a man whose craft is vanishing by the day. Nobody carries cash anymore, the picks aren’t worth as much, and his time is almost up. Turturro is the anchor of The Only Living Pickpocket in New York and gives his best performance in years.

Written and directed by Noah Segan, an actor you will find in almost every Rian Johnson project, The Only Living Pickpocket in New York is a stellar directorial debut. Segan’s style reminded me of other New York films like The French Connection. He plants Harry right in the action and shoots him against real settings with real people, making the film feel authentic, and like I was watching a real person in a real world. Segan knows the city and knows the world of Harry, and in a short runtime, he allows us to know Harry’s world too. He knows the people Harry needs to know and the lingo that goes with the trade. He knows where Harry would handle his business and how he would get there. He highlights the beauty of every borough of New York while also making a crafty caper. The Only Living Pickpocket in New York might be about a man coming to terms with his trade vanishing, but it’s a movie that showcases the talents of a new up-and-coming filmmaker.

The Only Living Pickpocket in New York played in the Premieres category at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.

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