Girl in the Shed: The Kidnapping of Abby Hernandez (2022) User Reviews

Does disservice to the real ordeal.

[Richiecass · 4/10 · 19 September 2022]

I watched this not knowing anything of the real story and was genuinely surprised at the end on seeing the statement that he was convicted of rape and kidnapping. The film goes out of its way to avoid even the tiniest hint of sexual assault leaving the viewer with the impression she was abducted violently for platonic friendship; cooking together, playing chess. It's not necessary to go into explicit detail to be clear about the reality of the ordeal, especially perplexing when other Lifetime films have no problem depicting sex. It really misleads the viewer and one wonders who exactly the target audience was.

VIEWS ON FILM review of Girl in the Shed: The Kidnapping of Abby Hernandez

[burlesonjesse5 · 6/10 · 26 March 2022]

Girl in the Shed: The Kidnapping of Abby Hernandez is a 2022 release. It's true to its long title or at least it is most of the way. Fred Savage played an evil dude in No One Would Tell. Now with "Shed", it's his brother's turn.

So yeah, "Shed" while Forensic Files tested, ends on a Lifetime lite note (that's because it is Lifetime). I mean closing titles shouldn't explain the outcome of the antagonist without showing him at least getting arrested or surrounded. It just feels like a pretense.

Girl in the Shed: The Kidnapping of Abby Hernandez is not as disturbing as last year's Girl in the Basement but it will do. "Shed" is based on a true story but why do the end credits say that it is a work of fiction? Huh? What?

The director of "Shed" is also an actress in Jessica Harmon. Her film is disturbing but what's up with the main villain (Ben Savage as Nathan Kibby). Savage does a decent job but is there just in his character's motive? I mean is Nathan a conspiracy theorist? Yup. Is he whacked out of his mind? Uh yeah. Is there a true reason for him holding a girl against her will for months? Not really. The audience is invested but that's just baseline for millions of Lifetime-rs looking to get led up the garden path.

Filmed in British Columbia because it's probably cheaper (I looked it up), Girl in the Shed: The Kidnapping of Abby Hernandez is about a 14-year-old teen who gets seized and temporarily held in a soundproof abode via the backyard. There she must try to stay alive because the whole free world is out looking for her.

A little Stockholm Syndrome here and a little psychotic manipulation there. "Shed" may not push the envelope like some abduction thrillers but at least it features enough isolated moments to suffice (tasers and tracking collars oh my). "Shed" a tear.

Good movie

[megan-18584 · 6/10 · 2 January 2023]

Abby was the executive producer of this movie. I'm disheartened at the other comments about there being no sexual abuse. Abby is a rape survivor why do you want her to relive that trauma? A lot of people have been sexually abused we cannot watch those scenes without being taken back to what happened to us! The movie is very good and and shows the strength Abby had, to get out of the situation she was in! She showed courage and resilience! This movie showed how the media can turn friends and family against you! The movie also shows how even though a mom knows her child best the police always assume they child ran away!

Toned down to drivel

[jwalsh30 · 2/10 · 27 February 2022]

The emotional and psychological abuse are toned down so much that it almost appears like a friendship. There is no indication of sexual abuse at all which completely removes the harrowing experienced the victim endured. The only point of interest was the mother's ordeal in dealing with the FBI. Taming the experience so much does such a huge disservice to such a frightening abduction. How could the real victim have been involved with this presentation?

Good Movie

[adriennes-50960 · 7/10 · 4 August 2023]

This is my own personal review. I watched this movie last night and it kept me on the edge of my seat. It doesn't depict everything that happened to the actual victim in real life. For instance, there are no scenes of sexual assault. The girl is kidnapped when hitchhiking and is tased once or twice throughout the movie. It may be hard to watch for some people. I really enjoyed watching the end scene when she returns home, it gave me chills. Nobody should ever have to endure what Abby went through. With her continual prayers and faith, she was able to make it out alive. She is an inspiration to everyone and a warning to what can happen if you are not careful.

I lived here and this movie sucks

[hmfougere · 1/10 · 7 October 2022]

I went to high school with Abby and was shocked by how inaccurate this entire movie was. I feel like the just took the general idea and made a entire different story for the movie. Absolutely horrible movie. I don't think the producers or writers have ever stepped foot in Conway as the entire look of the movie is off as well. Nate also had neighbors and people nearby which wasn't clear in this movie at all. I can tell Abby had nothing to do with this movie as it's completely off. Hopefully she got some money for it otherwise what was even the point of this horrible movie. Also cute how big they seemed to think the town is.

standard Lifetime

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 17 September 2023]

Abby (Lindsay Navarro) is walking home one day after missing the school bus. Conspiracy nut Nathaniel Kibby (Ben Savage) offers her a ride. Zenya (Erica Durance) is her mother.

It's interesting that Ben Savage is doing this character. Actors, who play nice guys, often switch gears to do the evil role. Ben is fine as the creepy crazy nut. I don't know about the mask. Mostly, it's a standard Lifetime girl-in-peril movie. Apparently, it's a real story. I'm not going to look down on the story. It is what it is. The filmmaking is TV level with a few minor attempts at higher art. All these movies are pretty much the same unless the filmmaking can raise it up to Room. I don't expect more.

Didn't show what the victim actually went through

[jazzyedwards · 2/10 · 8 October 2022]

I had high hopes for this movie. I really thought it would portray what the actual victim went through. The movie really did Abby a disservice. The movie doesn't show any sexual assault. No we don't need to see this in detail but they didn't even hint at it. There was one scene where she got shocked but other than that it the movie makes it like she was just abducted and friends with her abductor. We know she acted like his friend to plan her escape but the movie massively fails on what the victim actually went through. I would rather just have watched a documentary about it. This film was pointless to watch and kind of boring.

Weak ripped from the headlines adaption

[danielbusbyii-83115 · 3/10 · 20 March 2022]

This movie wasnt too good at all. It wasnt as good as most crime drama thrillers that lifetime has shown that was ripped from the headlines. I thought this was going to be a little brutal along the lines of Cleveland abduction, believe me: the Lisa mcavey story, Chris watts confessions of a killer, girl in the basement, girl in the bathtub, girl in the bunker, etc. But this was tame compared to all the other lifetime ripped from the headlines crime drama thrillers that I mentioned above. The only good part about it was the interview with the real Abby Hernandez the beyond the headlines segment and rest of the movie was just drawn out too long with no actual emotions and no actual suspense or thrills unlike the others I mentioned.

Scary and unpleasant - Ben Savage is light years from "Boy Meets World"

[mja58 · 8/10 · 27 February 2022]

Ben Savage gave a very good performance as Nate Kibby, the kidnapper. Again, it is hard to believe he was the the sitcom "Boy Meets World'

The other actors were good as well, especially Lindsay Navarro who played Abby, and. Erica Durance who played Zenya.

While watching this I couldn't believe what I was seeing, yet it actually happened (another movie this reminded me of is "The girl in the Basement").

This was a good watch, yet painful.

8/10.

Come on Lifetime...

[jes842904 · 1/10 · 18 September 2022]

I've seen better acting in dramatic re-enactment shows on ID Channel. It's laughable.

Corey Matthews, what the hell man. Dumbfounded.

Are we seriously supposed to believe this 30 year old woman with bags the size of Texas under her eyes is actually a 14 year old child??

I'm sure there is a stellar dateline episode on this story that would blow this dumpster fire of a "movie" right outta the solar system.

Anyone associated with this train wreck should be blacklisted and lose their SAG card immediately.

Let's see... how many other ways can I insult this deplorable production until I meet the character limi...

Terrible

[tylersdecoud · 1/10 · 5 October 2022]

This movie is terrible. It does not make any sense that she did not shoot him when he put the gun in her hands. Anyone would have done so. Also, who hitch hikes at the age of 14? And if they do, I'm sorry it is their own parents fault that they aren't teaching them the seriousness of strangers.

The way there is so much changed from the real story speaks for itself. I can assume the real victim had nothing to do with this. I would also assume that you all can agree with the fact that the daughter also started out making very bad choices but she was being a bit smart when it came to escaping...

Underwhelming experience

[mrslinajarquin · 1/10 · 19 January 2023]

Real life crime trillers are perhaps my favorite kind of movie to watch, as a mother I am horrified of the real terror and pain these monsters bring to their victims and families. This film lacked rawness and grittiness, the stuff of nightmares that run chills down your spine and make you hug your kids tighter. Nothing against Ben Savage but he seems like too much of a nice guy, not believable as a "bad guy" casting and acting was way off. The girl is a little too brave and hopeful which is great but I'm sure there were times of real desperation and hopelessness that needed to be emphasized on more. You almost get the feeling that the girl didn't care to go home, she had a chance to get away when he stepped out for the rose. Armed with knife she could have attempted a getaway or she could have shot him when he gave her the gun.

I turned it off minutes before it was over because I did not feel like this movie brought it home as it should have. Reading that the real life Abby was raped and tortured was shocking. Why wasn't that portrayed in the film? We didn't need a horribly explicit rape scene but we didn't even have any hint of rape or even abuse or molestation.

If we are going to do these types of films lets get it right Lifetime.

Horrible acting by Ben Savage

[daniellebrown-51406 · 1/10 · 12 September 2022]

This movie does not seem like an abduction movie at all it seems like a friendship everyone in the movie besides the girl who plays Abby cannot act for s*** it's the worst lifetime movie I've ever seen in my life poorly put together not worth the watch about to turn it off right now and I'm only 20 minutes into it. The real Abby Hernandez who went through this horrible ordeal should have been given a better movie than this. The movie tries to be suspenseful but it's not and I'm almost falling asleep watching this movie worst worst worst movie ever been Savage what happened to you you can't act for s***

Extremely toned down, almost laughable

[lisa_ec · 2/10 · 28 November 2022]

I know this is a lifetime movie but i thought it would be more in line with a movie like Cleveland Abduction in terms of quality. For starters, the actress playing 14 year old Abby looks like and acts like shes at least 30 years old, does not pass as a teen at all. They couldn't cast a Latina/Hispanic actress as the mom? This played a big part in why many believed the real story to be a hoax/ just some teen who got pregnant!! Ben Savage cant pull off serious/dramatic roles, the relationship came across as friendly and at worst, weird, instead of horribly abusive and traumatizing. The secondary actors were typical run of the mill bad actors. They dont have to be explicit but there was zero indication of sexual abuse. I know the real abby is listed as a producer but i feel this movie does her story a disservice.

It wasn't bad?!?

[zowie-49777 · 8/10 · 5 June 2023]

Abby was a producer for this movie so it was made in a way she saw fit if you know the case then moments stuck out for showing the relationship of the kidnapper and victim I think it toned down the events but also it's a 1 hour and 30 minutes long movie about something that took place over 9 months even if they didn't cut back to the mom and her perspective that's ten minutes a month I think it is something to watch to at least learn about the case but it doesn't give you all the facts a documentary would seeing as this isn't a documentary.

Now actors I couldn't remember what Ben savage was from when going into watching this movie and I was not expecting Corey Matthews okay.

I think the actress that played Abby did a phenomenal job.

ruins the importance of the true story

[wxhnnjk · 1/10 · 10 April 2023]

I'm not even sure who to blame for this absolutely awful movie. Lifetime. Wow. How did you allow this to air with your name brand on it.

This entire movie seems as if it's being fast forwarded, making it seem rushed, unprofessional and comepely unrealistic.

The acting. Not sure what the budget for this movie was but clearly it wasn't a lot because the acting is absolutely awful. Honestly not sure if the direction or the acting is worse.

This entire film is a disgrace to Abby and the true story of what happened to this family and town. Not sure if it was made to raise money for any of them but you're better off doing research about the sorry instead of watching this film.

The most boring lifetime movie ever

[jay819 · 1/10 · 23 January 2023]

I usually love Lifetime movies and saw this on Hulu and thought it sounded good. Wrong. This was quite possibly the most boring movie I've ever seen. Girl gets kidnapped. Mom is sad. The rest of the movie is Corey Matthews from Boy Meets World in a ridiculous mask playing chess with the worst actress I've ever seen (who looks way, way older than 14). The movie is literally 75% them playing chess and him pacing around while she's tied on a bed. No one knows why he kidnapped her, why he let her go, or what he wanted from her. There was no sexual abuse shown or even implied, and he was made out to be some goofy guy who believed in conspiracy theories. Don't waste your time on this movie. It's so bad. It's laughably bad.

Horrible movie based on a good true story

[topsi91 · 1/10 · 9 June 2023]

I had high hopes for this movie, but it was so boring and so lightweight compared to the original life event... it looked like the girl and the kidnapper are best buddies, no drama, no emotional playing.. the actress is way too old for the role. She suppose to look 14 and she looked more like in her late 20s. I usually like films based on true story, but this one was lacking everything, the assault parts were entirely cut off so its basically not the original story, its some movie inspired different story.. but not a good one. I don't get why they make films like that that doesnt actually follow the original true stories.. I rarely give such a low rating, but this movie was just so, so bad... and the actual story of Abby is so much more interesting and impactful, too bad they ruined it with this lackluster film.

WOW!!

[marcielynne · 1/10 · 24 June 2023]

I really like Erica Durance but this movie is so bad that I didn't even finish it. The first thing you notice is that the girl who is supposed to be 14 years old is obviously being played by a woman in her 20's therefore making the entire thing hard to take seriously. Then the acting of the other characters was really bad that it was ridiculous. The background in the scenes were so obviously fake. I mean come on Lifetime you can do better than this. I have watched two other based on a true story movies immediately before this one and they were far better than this one. Needless to say I DO NOT RECOMMEND this movie. Maybe if someone remakes it better I will try it again.