There is no doubt that there is a unifying element that seems to persist in Irish cinema , especially in recent years; Irish films are depressing. It feels like a lot these movies attempt to follow in the grand tradition of our native land's literature in that they often tell stories of perpetual outcasts, self destructive individuals or a regressive, intellectually stunted society that leaves nothing but broken spirits. And although many of these films' quality varies, they never really hit the mark set by their illustrious predecessors . And you would think that John Michael McDonagh's 'Calvary, about a innocent priest who may may or not be murdered within a week for being just that,would be no different. In some ways, that's because it isn't. What sets "Calvary" apart from the pack is perhaps for all of its apparently bleak world view , there is an underlying humanity that feels authentic and natural.