John Turturro trained with a pickpocket for his new film

John Turturro plays an aging thief in the film The Only Living Pickpocket in New York.

The character runs into trouble and seeks help from friends, according to the film’s description.

To prepare, Turturro learned pickpocketing skills from Apollo Robbins, a sleight-of-hand artist.

Robbins gave him coin exercises and taught him how to bump into someone to distract them.

Turturro said he came close to trying the skills on people he saw on New York trains, and that he lifted items from co-workers on set.

The film opens in limited release October 23 and is set to expand nationwide on October 30.