Continuity mistake: Right before David sets out to meet up with Jeff in the woods, he's out on the front lawn feeding Bruiser. It eats everything on the tray, save for a couple of pieces - but when Helen calls for David from the patio in the following shot, the tray is nearly filled with dog food all of a sudden. (00:07:10)
Visible crew/equipment: Camera lights in the dark woods are reflected in Jeff's glasses after he jumps down from a tree and frightens David. (00:09:50)
Continuity mistake: The three-digit code on the police car which takes David to his parents' new home changes. Just before it parks by the house, it makes a left turn near the highway. Here we can see its number is 442. But when Detective Banks exits the car, the number is partially visible - with the last two digits being 51 instead of 42. (00:14:30)
Continuity mistake: In 1986 when David is reunited with his parents at the front doorstep of their new home, Bill places his left hand near Bruiser at one point. But in the following shot where David faints on Helen's lap we can see Bill's right hand near Bruiser instead. (00:15:45)
Continuity mistake: When Jeff hands David an old flyer, David's feet instantly reposition themselves from the hospital bed's center to edge between shots. (00:19:20)
Continuity mistake: When Dr. Faraday is talking to David and his family along the New River in Ft. Lauderdale about going to the NASA facility, in the beginning of conversation up until when David says "no" the Andrews Ave. draw bridge in the background is down. When Dr. Faraday convinces David to go to find out where he's been 30 seconds later, the bridge is open/up and is closing/going down during the rest of the conversation. (00:27:30)
Visible crew/equipment: After David agrees to be taken to NASA headquarters for a 48 hour observance, Dr. Faraday winks at him, and in the left lens of his glasses (from the viewer's perspective) we can see the camera operator at work. (00:28:35)
Continuity mistake: Within moments of being confined to his room at NASA headquarters, David meets Carolyn and R.A.L.F. When Carolyn first pokes her head into the room, her hand repositions itself on the door frame as the shot changes, moving closer to the light switch plate. (00:30:30)
Continuity mistake: When Carolyn first enters David's room at NASA headquarters, she introduces R.A.L.F. Between shots, David wraps both arms around his knees. (00:30:35)
Visible crew/equipment: At NASA when David makes the call to his family at home, boom mics are reflected on the phone Bill uses. (00:33:45)
Audio problem: After it's revealed that David has been missing for 4.4 hours in analysis mode on Phaelon, one of the technicians says, "Light speed theory" but the words aren't consistent with the movement of his lips. (00:36:15)
Revealing mistake: When David enters the food robot to escape, he makes a left at a cop car with the license plate 11385. A few moments later, he passes the same exact car going in the other direction. (00:41:40)
Continuity mistake: When the first two guards find a security breach involving David and the ship, guard 2 activates several switches on the wall. Between shots, his left hand places itself on the control panel. (00:47:30)
Continuity mistake: In a matter of 15 seconds between David's ship exiting the hangar and shooting 20 miles upwards into space, shadows on the ground indicate very different positions of the sun. (00:51:05)
Factual error: After David's ship breaks free and exits the hangar, he orders Max to take him 20 miles away. Back at the tracking room a technician informs Dr. Faraday that the ship has gone 20 miles straight up, but the target altitude indicated on the screen reads 184,800 feet - more than a 35 mile distance. (00:52:00)
Revealing mistake: In the scene where Max challenges David to navigate the ship on his own, fingers are seen controlling the Puckmarin's movements at one point. (01:04:05)
Continuity mistake: When Dr. Faraday and the radar technicians are monitoring David's ship as it free falls towards the U.S. west coast, take a look at their glasses and you'll notice how a map of Japan is being reflected instead (needless to say, the exact same image is reflected three minutes later when the ship enters Tokyo airspace). (01:04:30)
Continuity mistake: When David and Max are lost and in need of directions, they spot a red Mustang cruising along. The Mustang is within throwing distance of a T junction at first, but then in the following shot it's suddenly about a quarter mile away from it. (01:09:30)
Continuity mistake: After David contacts Jeff from a payphone, he heads back toward the ship where a father is getting ready to snap a family photo. Behind the gas pumps is a Dodge Caravan with closed doors. Once the ship lifts off a few seconds later, you can see how the van's rear passenger door has managed to open up all by itself. (01:15:15)
Continuity mistake: Before returning home to 1978, David steps out of the ship to say goodbye. When Bill and Helen first run towards the ship, the front door of their house opens up between frames. (01:20:10)
Answer: Carolyn wouldn't have wanted David anywhere near the UFO as it could've been dangerous, so it's safe to assume that "Max" programmed the R.A.L.F robot. Although Carolyn didn't have anything to do with with David's escape, it wouldn't have escaped unnoticed that the R.A.L.F robot was in the hanger where the UFO was. Given that she's always the one with the R.A.L.F. robot, it's safe to assume she was acting worried that she'd be blamed rather than acting "shifty"