Ron's Gone Wrong

Every child has a B-Bot: an algorithm-driven companion robot wired into their social media accounts. Barney's arrives broken, which means it can reach no data and is not programmed to please anyone. That is the whole idea. It is Locksmith Animation's first feature. Director Sarah Smith got the idea after watching Her, wanting to make something that would help children evaluate their own experiences with technology. Zach Galifianakis voices Ron flat and unreactive on purpose, because the character is an algorithm. Disney's acquisition of 20th Century Fox landed mid-production and alarmed the team. Smith called it terrifying, though Disney went on to back the film. It grossed 60.7 million dollars worldwide, low for a major studio animation, and won Best Feature at the British Animation Awards. Who it is for: families who want social media criticism pitched at a level children can actually use. Who it is not for: viewers hoping for a distinctive visual language. The animation is clean but familiar; the script is what sets this apart.