Ron’s Gone Wrong, review: A family film with a tech twist
It’s a sign of the times that an increasing number of family films are focusing on technology. The Jumanji movies moved from a boardgame to a video game console; Space Jam’s villain was a rogue AI; and one of the best family movies of this year, The Mitchells Vs The Machines, had our reliance on screens at its heart. The latest to add to this trend is Ron’s Gone Wrong, which premiered at the London Film Festival recently.
Barney Pudowski (voiced by Jack Dylan Grazer) is a middle school kid with different hobbies that make him something of an outcast. Desperate to fit in, he asks his father (Ed Helms) for a B-Bot, the new AI robot companion that is both your best friend and social media intern, posting all the fun you can have onto social media. Barney is bought a B-Bot for his birthday, but it turns out to be Ron (Zach Galifianakis), a malfunctioning B-Bot that displays eccentric behaviour and is just, well, wrong. While at first his faulty new toy is exasperating, Barney begins to find that this unusual buddy is just what he needs
The comedy isn’t all it might be, relying heavily on Ron falling about in a manner similar to Beymax from Big Hero 6. However, there is something in the film’s storytelling that rings true. Schoolkids face unique challenges, with bullying and peer pressure now a 24/7 occurrence thanks to the internet. It handles both perspectives sensitively, while arguing that, even in the days of flawless social media feeds, it’s ok to be different. It does this without making tech the enemy or preaching to kids about playing outside. Technology is a part of our lives, but it is important to live with it harmoniously.
Channelling a number of innocent sidekicks from family movies, Galifianakis is well-pitched as Ron, an adorable sprite that will warm your heart. Helms has some nice moments as an overwrought widowed parent, while Olivia Colman is an unusual but effective choice for Donka, his outspoken Bulgarian grandmother.
Odd but sincere, Ron’s Gone Wrong delivers an entertaining family flick that speaks to something that is a big issue for most modern families.