Harry Lehman (John Turturro) is a master of his craft. It just so happens that the craft in question is in a state of slow decline. Harry uses sly moves and nimble figures to lift personal items off of people distractedly going through their days in New York City, but fewer and fewer of those wallets and pocketbooks that he pilfers have untraceable cash inside of them. There’s a gentle weariness to him as he tries to hock the smartphones, computer watches, and other ephemera of modern life that’s really only valuable to the person who owned it in the first place.

Even as Harry’s longterm prospects are dim, his situation is given a jolt of immediate danger when he steals a bag belonging to a young creep (Will Price) who is the scion of an organized crime family. He can’t simply flee, because he’s the sole caregiver for his wife, Rosie (Karina Arroyave), who is in a catatonic state. Besides, others in his circle — pawn shop owner Ben (Buscemi) and Ben’s granddaughter, Eve (Victoria Moroles) — have been drawn into this jam. Harry is going to need to draw on his well-honed problem-solving skills to fix the whole mess.

The Only Living Pickpocket in New York is a satisfying throwback. Although set in the present-day, the movie casts back to the nineteen-seventies and early nineteen-eighties, when filmmaker took great pleasure in capturing the seediness of New York City. More than that, the film is an echo of largely bygone days when audiences and creators largely agreed that there were few greater pleasures that assembling a gaggle of skilled character actors and simply letting them cook. Writer-director Noah Segan hasn’t quite mastered the art of plotting and his visual sense could be stronger, but he gives the actors up and down the supporting cast the space to work little wonders. Buscemi is brings humanity to a role that could have easily been entertainingly played with familiar schtick, Giancarlo Esposito is a joy as a police detective, and Tatiana Maslany absolutely smashes a showcase emotional scene.

Turturro, the film offers the reminder, is also a master of his craft. Given a rare opportunity to carry an entire movie on his shoulders, Turturro responds with a performance of insight and grace. In his rendering, Harry is a survivor more than a sordid criminal. The performance leads with dignity and carries a touch of wistfulness. Even in his thievery, there’s a touch of kindness to Harry, a sense that he want to do as little harm as possible and maybe, just maybe, repair the damage that he has previously done. It’s a relatable truth that Turturro can grab onto and create layers of poignancy in his portrayal. In his way, he’s as deft as the character he plays.