American Nightmare is the true story behind the 'real life Gone Girl' kidnapping
The Netflix documentary shares the shocking story of Denise Huskins’ disappearance
American Nightmare follows a format that we've seen before - a woman goes missing, but all is not what it seems. Dubbed the 'real-life Gone Girl' Denise Huskins' story also centres around a kidnapping that raises suspicion - and the harrowing aftermath.
The true crime series dropped on Netflix on Wednesday (17th January) and it's already racking up viewing stats on the streaming platform, with critics praising producers for handling the story with sensitivity, rather than sensationalism. Created by The Tinder Swindler filmmakers Felicity Morris and Bernadette Higgins, American Nightmare was always going to make compulsive viewing, but as well as having some big names on the production team, few stories are quite as shocking as the one told here.
Essentially, this true crime drama tells the story of one woman's fight for justice and how the authorities let her down. But unlike in the case of Gone Girl, there's a real love story at its heart. This is what you need to know about American Nightmare, including how to watch the true crime docuseries and the chilling true story behind it.
*Warning: Reference to sexual abuse that some readers might find upsetting*
What is American Nightmare about?
American Nightmare tells the story of Denise Huskins’ disappearance and the shocking events that unfolded in the aftermath. On 23 March 2015, Denise and her boyfriend, Aaron Quinn, had their California home invaded. Denise was kidnapped and, terrifyingly, told by the intruders: "This is what we’re going to do. We’re going to take you for 48 hours."
Denise appeared 48 hours later, 400 miles away in Huntington Beach, near to where her parents live. It was reported at the time that she was physically unharmed, however, it was later revealed that she had been raped twice by her abductor. When the couple went to the police following the horrific event, they were accused of fabricating the story, leading to the Gone Girl comparisons, which had been released in cinemas a year before in 2014.
For anyone who hasn't seen the film, adapted from Gillian Flynn's novel of the same name, Gone Girl tells the story of a dysfunctional couple (played by Rosamund Pike and Ben Affleck) where the wife fakes her own kidnapping to get revenge on her cheating husband, but then reappears after she changes her mind later down the line. In Gone Girl, the wife is the villain and the manipulator. However, in Denise's case, she was always telling the truth.
While she was missing, Aaron was intensely questioned by the police, who had some doubts over his involvement with Denise's disappearance. When she reappeared, officials concluded that they masterminded the whole thing together, rather than going after the criminals. Essentially it's a tale of police incompetence and yet again why justice doesn't always prevail when it comes to violence against women.
How can I watch American Nightmare?
American Nightmare dropped on Netflix on Wednesday 17th January 2024 as a three-part docuseries. All episodes are available to stream now.
Is there a trailer for American Nightmare?
Yes, there's a trailer for American Nightmare, which shows a snapshot of the ill-treatment of the couple by the police from the beginning. The synopsis reads: 'After a home invasion and kidnapping, a young couple's recounting of the events is too far-fetched for the police to believe. You'll never suspect the truth.'
You can view the American Nightmare trailer below:
Viewers were quick to comment on the trailer with their thoughts on the show. One wrote on social media: "The police along with the media should be ashamed of themselves! Except for Officer Misty, she’s the one who should be awarded the medal of the year. I’m so happy that Denise and Aaron are doing well and have a happy ending. What a strong couple!!!"
While another said: "I just finished watching it. This is hands down the wildest documentary I have ever watched. I honestly felt disgusted by it at the end, because it says so much about how our quick-to-judge now take-it-to-the-media-for-clout culture has permeated everything in this country from law enforcement, to journalism, our wiring of how we process and judge information."
And third wrote: "I can't even describe how angry I was on their behalf while watching this. Aggravated by the fact that none of the daft police (who enforced the trauma) paid for their swift and cruel judgements. I could feel their pain as they were recalling their trauma. So happy that their truth has been broadcasted on a stage like this - thanks Netflix!"
American Nightmare is available to stream now on Netflix.
