Common Sense Media Review
By Sandie Angulo Chen
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Animated adventure explores friendship, tech use, bullying.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 8+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Ron's Gone Wrong
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 38 parent reviews
Based on 36 kid reviews
Kids say that this animated adventure offers a heartwarming exploration of friendship and self-acceptance, paired with stunning visuals and humor, making it enjoyable for family viewing. However, several reviews point out that some scenes, especially with inappropriate humor and language, may not be suitable for younger audiences, leading to mixed feelings about its overall appropriateness and execution.
- heartwarming themes
- mixed humor
- family-friendly
- animation quality
- inappropriate moments
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
In RON'S GONE WRONG, Bubble, a giant tech company, releases an AI robot called the B*Bot that's the perfect friend for its young target users, since the robots' personality and appearance can be customized based on the user. Soon, awkward 11-year-old Barney (voiced by Jack Dylan Grazer) is literally the only kid at his school who doesn't have one. When Barney's salesman father, Graham (Ed Helms), and Eastern European grandmother, Donka (Olivia Colman), secure an "irregular" B*Bot at a discounted price as a birthday present for Barney, he's initially thrilled with the gift. But it quickly becomes obvious that "Ron" (Zach Galifianakis) wasn't coded properly and therefore doesn't look or act like the typical B*Bot. Without proper programming in place, Barney and Ron have to create their own formula for best friendship -- while simultaneously landing on the company's "kill" list for Ron's atypical (and unpredictable) behavior. Barney and Ron team up to avoid capture ... or, worse, reprogramming.
Is It Any Good?
This animated tale is an entertaining mix of kid-friendly adventure, quirky buddy comedy, and cautionary schoolyard drama. Barney starts out as a somewhat sad character; he doesn't even hand out his birthday party invitations because he's sure no one will want to attend. Aside from Donka and his father, Barney's only "friend" is the family's goat. After Ron arrives, he quickly grows into the best friend Barney has longed for, because they're writing the rules for friendship together. Writer-director Sarah Smith (Arthur Christmas) again follows a clumsy but kind, lonely but lovable protagonist. She keeps the focus on Barney's family and friendships, even as Ron causes chaos when he inspires the other kids to instruct their B*Bots to rid themselves of their Bubble programming.
Kids will find Barney and Ron's partnership amusing, especially all the silly banter as they get to know each other. Galifianakis is ideally cast as Ron, with his voice performance making the dialogue even funnier. Colman stands out as Donka, who simultaneously dotes on Barney and encourages him to be self-sufficient. Her love of Old World cooking (she offers Barney tripe soup) and superstitions (she believes a relative died from a "demon inside a cashew" instead of a nut allergy) will endear her in particular to anyone with an immigrant grandparent. The incident with Barney's former friend, Savannah (Kylie Cantrall), who ends up a poop meme, shows how easy it is for someone's social media presence to turn ugly. But the "big reveal" about companies wanting access to kids for their marketing power shouldn't be a surprise to anyone who's gotten a merchandise tie-in or watched kids' programming with ads. Ultimately, the movie's technology messages are important, but even more vital are the reminders about the importance of unconditional friendship and close family bonds.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how Ron's Gone Wrong reveals the ways that tech companies market to and influence kids and teens. Do you believe that companies look for ways to target children and teens? How do you feel about that idea?
How do the characters demonstrate compassion, empathy, and teamwork? Why are those important character strengths?
What can families do to take advantage of technology without getting consumed by it? How does your family use technology together? How do you balance screen time with real-life experiences?
Some have mentioned that the movie's messages are uneven, since the kids still play with B*Bots in the end. What's the difference between Ron and the other B*Bots, and how does recess change from the beginning to the end?
Movie Details
- In theaters : October 22, 2021
- On DVD or streaming : December 7, 2021
- Cast : Zach Galifianakis , Jack Dylan Grazer , Olivia Colman
- Directors : Sarah Smith , Jean-Philippe Vine , Octavio E. Rodriguez
- Inclusion Information : Female Movie Director(s) , Female Movie Actor(s)
- Studio : 20th Century Fox
- Genre : Family and Kids
- Topics : STEM , Friendship , Robots
- Character Strengths : Compassion , Empathy , Teamwork
- Run time : 106 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : some rude material, thematic elements, and language
- Award : Common Sense Selection
- Last updated : January 24, 2026
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate