Harry Lehman is an old-school pickpocket in his sixties living in the Bronx. For Harry, who once made a living through his mastery of slipping wallets out of pockets, the world has changed. People now carry less cash with them, as contactless payment methods render sleight of hand obsolete. However, Harry—who is also caring for his ailing wife—needs money more than ever. A USB drive he steals from the wrong person drags him into a dangerous chase across New York’s various neighborhoods.

This modest crime film, which explores the growing gap between the protagonist’s analog world and an increasingly digital New York, tells the story of the gradual disappearance of not just a profession, but a way of life. Reminiscent of 1970s urban narratives and 1990s American independent cinema, The Only Living Pickpocket in New York explores the deepening divide between past and present without succumbing to nostalgia.