Film Review: THE ONLY LIVING PICKPOCKET IN NEW YORK: John Turturro is Perfect in a Quintessential New York Masterpiece [NYFF 2026]

The Only Living PIckpocket in New York Review

The Only Living Pickpocket in New York (2026) Film Review from the 64th Annual New York Film Festival, a movie written and directed by Noah Segan and starring John Turturro, Giancarlo Esposito, Will Price, Tatiana Maslany, Victoria Moroles, Steve Buscemi, Delaney Grace Coyle, Rob Brown, Jamie Lee Curtis,  Karina Arroyave, Ethan Herschenfeld, Jack Mulhern, Bill Sage, Rafael Silva, Dan Charlton and Kelvin Han Lee.

John Turturro has always been an actor’s actor. He has taken on many character actor roles over the years, but in filmmaker Noah Segan’s The Only Living Pickpocket in New York, Turturro is given the chance to spread his wings in a juicy leading role that marks the actor’s most accomplished performance to date.

This film is full of New York City flavor, leading its main character, Harry (Turturro), through the outer boroughs as he races against the clock in order to obtain something very important that he stole and pawned off to a store. This movie could be compared to the works of filmmakers like Marty Scorsese or Spike Lee, but to do so wouldn’t do this picture justice. Noah Segan is a director with a bright future ahead, thanks to the crisp quality of the terrific The Only Living Pickpocket in New York, which is, without a doubt, going to be one of the top ten movies of 2026.

This film initially shows the lifestyle Harry leads as he steals things from people in passing to accumulate the necessary survival money for himself and his severely disabled wife. Harry steals from the wrong guy when he targets a young man known as Dylan (Will Price). After a brush up with Dylan, Harry finds himself doing rather well, but finds a suspicious computer component USB-type device, which he eventually pawns off to a shop owner (well played by Kelvin Han Lee).

Steve Buscemi serves as Ben, another shopkeeper with an old computer in his store that the device is put into, which causes the owners of the USB to come and trash Ben’s store, looking for it. Harry is soon on a mission to reclaim the device after he discovers some startling news about Dylan’s identity that could change Harry’s whole life significantly, for the worse.

Meanwhile, Giancarlo Esposito plays a cop, Detective Warren, who assists Harry in locating the USB device after the shop owner who obtains it sends it off somewhere else. There’s a great scene on a moving subway train between Espositio and Turturro as they lay out the situation as the train moves throughout the city.

Taking us to Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn to Forest Hills, Queens and beyond, this new picture excels in developing the character of Harry and the city of New York. An amazingly done sequence comes when Harry visits an old family member in Queens, Kelly (Tatiana Maslany). When you find out the relationship of this character to Harry, the scene becomes much more intriguing, and is masterfully acted by both Turturro and Maslany, displaying great sensitivity regarding Harry’s delicate situation and the life choices he made, which sadly led up to his current situation.

There are some deeply moving final scenes that will rip the viewer’s heart out. This film would not have worked without the talent of the versatile Turturro, who finds the character of Harry and runs with him all the way through to the film’s very last moments. It’s hard not to respect Harry, criminal or not. That is the magic of Turturro’s performance. Those layers he brings to the part are worthy of a Best Actor Oscar nomination. It would be a crime if Turturro was overlooked come Academy Award nomination time, given the potency of his work in this film.

There are supporting cast members who truly excel, namely Esposito, Maslany and Buscemi, all of whom more than shine beside Turturro, the film’s fearless leader. Will Price’s Dylan is easy to hate, and the film happily doesn’t let this character off the hook for his terrible treatment of Harry. There is also a grand, last-minute appearance by Jamie Lee Curtis that knocks it out of the ball park in some of the final few moments of greatness that this film showcases. You can also look out for Rob Brown of Finding Forrester fame in the interim in a brief supporting role.

The Only Living Pickpocket in New York knows New York City and how its residents operate. Sadly, Harry is confronted with difficult scenarios that he navigates just well enough to be able to prove to the ones he loves that his life meant something. This film is a masterclass on New York City rhythm, and John Turturro is a true staple in New York-themed cinema. Turturro is the only living actor who could make The Only Living Pickpocket in New York such a remarkable achievement. Don’t miss it.

Rating: 10/10

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