It’s become commonplace in recent years: movies set in New York, telling distinctly New York stories, yet shot entirely somewhere else like Ireland. Which makes “The Only Living Pickpocket in New York” feel like a minor miracle and a welcome update to the New York crime movie genre. “The Only Living Pickpocket in New York” proves that crime stories don’t need bloodshed and gratuitous violence to land with force. Ultimately “The Only Living Pickpocket in New York” shows us that old school and new school aren’t opposites. Grade: A“The Only Living Pickpocket in New York” premiered at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival.