Netflix presents a three-part true cime American Nightmare. The series recounts the kidnapping of Denise Huskins and how the police did not initially believe her story.

Denise Huskins and her husband Aaron Quinn tell the story of how she was kidnapped in the middle of the night from their home in Vallejo, California. As Aaron begs the police to help him, they focus on him because he was still in contact with his ex-girlfriend. When Denise suddenly reappears, the police believe she faked the whole thing and copied the movie Gone Girl to get attention.

I have to admit, I do not understand the title. “American Nightmare” is so generic. It needed a more specific title that honed in on the horror that Denise Huskins faced. It did her and her story a disservice.

Putting that aside, this was a fascinating tale. Denise Huskins went through one of the most horrifying experiences with a kidnapper who violently took her, drugged her, violated her, and held her for ransom before randomly letting her go. The show pulls you into her horrors and you truly feel how this negatively impacted her life.

Despite the evidence, the police and the FBI got tunnel vision. The documentary does a good job of telling the story of Aaron Quinn and Denise Huskins being targeted by law enforcement and the media. Through interviews with them, their lawyer, investigators, and others we see how they were labeled guilty, while the kidnapper Matthew Muller, continued his crime spree. It was a sobering subject and I am so glad that Aaron and Denise were able to craft a happy ending out of this story.

Check out the trailer below:

PARENTAL CONCERNS: Disturbing topics including abuse, Foul language

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