The Pleasure of Being Robbed

Eléonore is a curious, free spirit wandering the rough and crowded streets of New York City. She is afraid to talk to people, so instead she steals things from them to get a glimpse of their lives and personalities. But she doesn’t just rob. Eléonore also puts a smile on the faces of the victims, before she quickly disappears again, leaving bewildered and grateful people in her wake.

Shot with a shaky, handheld 16 mm camera, Joshua Safdie’s first feature is a good-hearted, low budget, do it yourself comedy. In a way that is representative of the current wave of young and independent American filmmakers, the director manages to identify and recreate the small and funny situations of everyday life. But even though The Pleasure of Being Robbed comes with a huge portion of humor, Safdie never crosses over into farcical territory. He treats his characters with sincerity and respect, and in the end, he shows a different angle of New York City and all its whimsical encounters.