Critics’ reviews

The Only Living Pickpocket in New York (2026)

13 reviews from 13 publications. Critics’ score 79: 11 positive, 2 mixed, 0 negative.

Back to our review of The Only Living Pickpocket in New York

79
Positive
11
Mixed
2
Negative
0
IndieWire
28 January 2026 · A · Beandrea July
95

The critic praises the film as a confident, humane update to the New York crime drama. She particularly singles out its authentic New York locations and John Turturro’s controlled performance.

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The Hollywood Reporter
28 January 2026 · festival review · David Rooney
90*

Rooney finds the film contemplative, transfixing and remarkably layered, praising Noah Segan’s assured storytelling. He especially singles out John Turturro’s restrained, deeply affecting performance as the film’s dignified, aging pickpocket.

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Variety
27 January 2026 · Critics Pick · Tomris Laffly
85*

Laffly finds the film an elegantly tender, bittersweet love letter to New York. She especially praises John Turturro’s mesmerizingly tender performance and the memorable supporting cast.

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The AV Club
12 October 2026 · B+ · Monica Castillo
83

Castillo praises the film as a strong, heartfelt throwback drama. She singles out John Turturro’s nuanced performance as its central strength.

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Time Out
7 October 2026 · ★★★★ · Elizabeth Weitzman
80

The critic calls it a terrific drama with a throwback flavour. John Turturro is singled out for stealing the show.

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Vulture
19 February 2026 · festival review · Bilge Ebiri
78*

Ebiri finds the film a modest, lovely drama with a gentle, wistful atmosphere. He singles out Turturro’s attentive, world-weary performance as the film’s anchor.

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Screen Daily
28 January 2026 · festival review · Tim Grierson
70*

The headline presents the film as a stylish crime drama, with John Turturro impressing. The accessible text singles out Turturro’s performance, but the full review is unavailable.

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The Guardian
28 January 2026 · festival review · Benjamin Lee
70*

Lee finds the film engaging and charming despite an overplayed theme and contrived turns. He especially praises Turturro’s appealing performance and the film’s breezy, on-location portrait of New York.

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RogerEbert.com
festival review
63*

The page could not be accessed, so the critic’s verdict is unavailable. No praise or criticism can be verified from the page content.

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Slant Magazine
12 September 2026 · ★★½/4 · Derek Smith
62

Smith finds the film a low-key, melancholy character study that is strongest when it observes Harry’s world with specificity. He praises the lived-in performances and New York locations, while faulting the tech-obsessed antagonists and a conventional family-reconciliation scene.

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Deadline
28 January 2026 · festival review · Damon Wise
85*

Wise finds the film mesmerizing, melancholy, and a notably assured directorial debut. He especially praises John Turturro’s performance and the film’s affection for New York’s independent-movie past.

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The Wrap
28 January 2026 · festival review
85*

The critic finds the film a gem, despite some rough edges and small narrative contrivances. They especially praise John Turturro’s performance and the quietly moving character study built around Harry’s life.

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The Playlist
27 January 2026 · B+ · Marshall Shaffer
83

Shaffer finds the film a poignant, revelatory portrait of a changing New York, despite weaknesses in its crime-thriller plot. He especially praises John Turturro’s subtle performance and how it connects Harry’s personal story to the city’s history.

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Ordered by the weight we give each publication, then by score. Scores are normalised to 100; * means inferred from an unrated review. Summaries are ours, not quotations; follow the links for the reviews themselves. How we rate