There is an art to being a pickpocket. It’s hard to make the perfect lift and get away with it. It’s even harder to live that as a career and lifestyle. That’s what’s going on with Harry (John Turturro) in the new film The Only Living Pickpocket in New York.

The film comes from writer/director Noah Segan. It made the rounds at festivals earlier this year and now it’s set to go wider on Friday. The film puts a focus on a man who is good at his craft and has been good for a long time. But he finds a situation he can’t get out of that threatens to change his life forever.

In the film, Harry lives a simple life. He rides the Subway and looks for marks, then tries to use or sell what he’s managed to recover. It’s enough for him to carve out a life and he’s very smooth and skilled at making it work.

He works with his longtime fence and friend, Ben (Steve Buscemi), and cares for his wife, Rosie (Karina Arroyave). Rosie is non-verbal and wheelchair bound. He uses aides to help during the day but takes a lot of it on himself during times when he’s not working. It’s a simple, peaceful life.

But when Harry picks the wrong mark and gets something he shouldn’t have, it changes things. When that mark tracks him down and demands his property back, it becomes clear that Harry’s luck has finally run out.

This is a simple film that has a love for its world and characters, but more than that a love for New York City. Some of the best parts of the film are the ways that it captures life in the city. Harry has a love for the city and for his craft, and the film tries to capture that and set a mood.

I also liked Turturro in the role. He is affable as Harry, and it’s admirable the way he treats those in his sphere and cares for his wife. He carves out a life through crime, but he isn’t a bad guy. That’s essential to be able to root for him in this. And Turturro does a nice job of bringing him to life.

The problem is this is a little thin. It’s a simple story and it doesn’t wear out its welcome, running just about 80 minutes as he deals with his problems in real time. But that makes a story that lacks detail. We get a scene of Harry with his daughter, but not enough to really understand it all. We don’t get much about the villain, here. We are introduced to a number of characters, often played by great actors like Giancarlo Esposito, Tatiana Maslany, and Jamie Lee Curtis, among others, but the script lacks the depth to give them a real character. The only one who has any depth is Harry. While it is his story, I wanted a little more.

This is an enjoyable enough film and a simple watch, but it doesn’t have enough meat to be a classic or memorable tale. Still, if you’re a fan of a good character drama, it’s worth a look.

The Only Living Pickpocket in New York expands nationwide on Friday, October 30.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.