True Crime: American Nightmare documentary, what is it about and was it inspired by movie Gone Girl?

Netflix has a brand new true crime series dropping today that you will want to binge watch. American Nightmare is a three part documentary based on the kidnapping of Denise Huskins who was nicknamed the ’real life’ Gone Girl. The series is from the The Tinder Swindler filmmakers Felicity Morris and Bernadette Higgins so you know it’s going to be good. 

Back in March 2015 Denise Huskins and her boyfriend, Aaron Quinn, were woken in the dead of night by a home invader. Denise was kidnapped and what followed was a terrifying account of what happened to them both. However, it led to law enforcement claiming the couple’s recounting of the events was too far-fetched for anyone to believe.

At the time the story of Denise Huskins’ kidnapping gained a lot of media attention with many comparing it to the movie Gone Girl (2014) movie starring Rosamund Pike and Ben Affleck. Gone Girl was a film adaptation from Gillian Flynn’s 2012 novel. But surely no one would really take inspiration from the film and stage their own kidnapping? Apparently the truth is actually something you’d never suspect. 

American Nightmare trailer

Speaking to Netflix filmmaker Bernadette Higgins said: “A lot of crime stories are very linear and obvious from the start. What was really intriguing about this story was the fact that every time you think you know what’s happened, there’s another twist, Everyone thinks they know the ending from the start. In this story, few people would’ve ever predicted the truth.”

When is the American Nightmare available to watch? 

All three episodes of the American Nightmare are available to watch on Netflix from Wednesday, January 17.