Netflix original shows and movies are hit-and-miss these days. But the streaming giant continues to excel when it comes to true crime documentaries.
American Nightmare is Netflix’s latest addition to its impressive true crime catalogue. This three-part docuseries comes from the people behind The Tinder Swindler, which was released in 2022 to widespread acclaim and colossal viewing figures.
It recounts the harrowing true story of a young couple who experience a terrifying home invasion in 2015. The pair are drugged and blindfolded, but boyfriend Aaron Quinn is inexplicably left behind while his girlfriend Denise Huskins is kidnapped.
When Aaron goes to the police, he is almost immediately disbelieved and faces accusations that he is behind Denise’s disappearance. He’s subject to intense questioning by law enforcement, who are resolute in their belief that Aaron was an awful partner who did something terrible to his girlfriend.
Meanwhile, Denise awakens in an unknown location. She is still blindfolded by a pair of blacked-out swimming goggles and has no idea where she is, let alone who took her.
Over the next 48 hours, she is subjected to rapes and psychological torture at the hands of her unknown captor. While the motives for the kidnap are unclear and never fully explained, Denise is led to believe it is somehow connected to Aaron’s previous partner.
As the police’s suspicions of Aaron grow, Denise miraculously reappears. Found walking down her childhood street, she is ushered into a neighbour’s home and the media circus begins.
Admittedly, the situation is difficult to countenance. But the police refuse to dig deeper and decide to pursue Aaron and Denise for lying about the supposed crime. The media quickly draws comparisons to the 2014 film Gone Girl, where unhappy wife Rosamund Pike frames her cheating husband Ben Affleck for her murder.
The FBI agent in charge of the investigation even admits to believing the case is a real life Gone Girl incident. So, when Denise tells them about being raped, they think she is lying.
What follows is a gut-wrenching story about Denise’s brutal quest to get the truth of her kidnapping out to the public. The police were openly denouncing her as a liar in the media despite the obvious trauma she endured, and it’s revealed that very little effort – if any – was being made to actually investigate the kidnapping.
Ultimately, the perpetrator was apprehended. However, two lives were almost broken in the process and significant questions about the investigation remain.
American Nightmare review: Verdict
While the crime itself was unbelievable, it was the sheer arrogance of the police that rendered its victims disbelieved.
American Nightmare is a deeply troubling watch, told in three succinct and considerate parts. Viewers will be perplexed by the true story that unfolds, but it’s the wilful ignorance of law enforcement that is truly baffling.
Overall Rating: 8/10
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